Family Ties
by Andorian Ice Princess-AIP
Summary: SQL to New Start AU As Casey and Dawson work to make a new family life with Caitlin, they are tossed into a surprising situation that could expand their family but also bring about a new danger to them all. Can Matt keep his family safe? Or will he lose everything he loves so dearly? CHAP 13 UP NOW
1. Let's Make it Official!

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 1 – Let's Make it Official!**

 **Summary:** **SQL to New Start AU** As Casey and Dawson work to make a new family life with Caitlin, they are tossed into a surprising situation that could expand their family but also bring about a new danger to them all. Can Matt keep his family safe? Or will he lose everything he loves so dearly?

 **Disclaimer:** Same as always. I own nothing but my muse and my love for all things #firefighters #Lindseride & #dawsey and #Sevasey

 **A/N:** Okay so…I did waffle on a full on sequel that included both couples but found it hard in New Start, esp toward the end to give them all equal screen time. SO…for this one this is going to be dawsey focused and it WILL follow the New Start SL (with Matt a single father moved from St. Louis) but my dear #lindseride readers who are reading this will also see cameo's of our family in this but they won't be the main focus! **PS:** for my #linderside readers another separate story focusing on them is already posted called Altered States (with cameos from dawsey 15 years from now!). With a crazy real life schedule I am going to try for weekly updates but with holidays and stuff approaching we'll see if that holds up! haha okay everyone…here we go!

* * *

"I can't find…" Matt Casey groaned as he rushed back into his bedroom searching for the tie he thought he had laid out.

"What are you missing?" Gabriella Dawson inquired as she lingered in his doorway on the evening of a special event.

It had been two months since Ernest Jackson had ripped their worlds apart with a bomb that devastated lives and destroyed property. The construction of the new school was well underway, Dawson was back on regular shift, Lesley Shay and Allison Rafferty were permanent members of Firehouse 51 and much like them, Kelly Severide and Erin Lindsay were drawing ever closer to becoming their own family units.

"Tie…" he huffed as he looked back up with a small smile as she held the piece of fabric in her grasp. "Did you have it…the whole time?"

"Maybe," she teased in return with a come hither look, which he instantly wanted to action. But as soon as he closed the space another voice is heard that quickly doused the romantic flames that had started to arise.

"Gabby can you do my hair?"

"I'll use this later," Gabby winked as she turned and looked at Caitlin Casey with an adoring smile. "I've love to sweetie," she stated as she left Matt's view and he was left alone to finish getting ready.

"Are you excited about going to the wedding?" Gabby asked Caitlin.

"Yes. I want to see Naomi. Where is her real mommy?" Caitlin asked as Matt heard the question from his daughter and paused outside her room.

"Her real mommy doesn't live around here anymore. Her dad Rick Newhouse, who works at the same Firehouse as your dad, and her are divorced. I think her real mommy lives in another city. But now she'll have Sheila. Do you think she likes Sheila?"

"Uh huh. She told me she did," Caitlin replied with a nod as Gabby finished putting a few curls into the little girl's hair and then pinning one side with a little sparkly barrette.

"You look very pretty," Gabby praised as she kissed the top of Caitlin's head and then looked at her with a loving smile.

"So do you. Do you love my daddy?"

The question took Gabby by surprise and also Matt who still hovered quietly in the hallway. As much as he wanted to hear how this would work out he didn't want Dawson to feel obligated especially before he had 'the' talk with her – the thought of her moving in with them, permanently and by that he meant…them getting married and making it official for Caitlin.

"I do love him. Very much," Gabby confessed in truth with a warm smile. But before the conversation could turn awkward in any way, Matt tiptoed backwards a few meters and then called out to them.

"Ready?"

"Yes we are!" Gabby quickly replied as her and Caitlin stepped into the hallway as Matt approached with a wide warm smile.

"Wow…you two look amazing," Matt praised as Gabby walked toward him in a dark purple body hugging dress.

"And you look pretty darn handsome. Nice tie," she concluded with a wink.

"Yeah…wonder where I got it," he playfully mused as Caitlin pointed to Dawson and smiled.

"Gabby got it for you daddy."

"Oh right," Matt smiled as he helped her with her coat and then the three of them headed for the door to go out.

"Oh wait…before you go I want a picture," Nancy Casey suddenly appeared with a small camera and a large smile. "You all look so beautiful," she praised as told them to move in closer together with Caitlin in the middle. "And….smile," she directed lovingly as Matt put his arm around Gabby as Caitlin looked at her grandmother with a wide grin.

"My family," she whispered with delight as Matt's face gently flushed but Gabby's smiled widened. "Have fun tonight!"

Matt ushered them out and on the way to the reception hall talked about the beautiful ceremony, how nervous Newhouse looked, where they'd be going on their honeymoon and few other things relating to the special day. When they arrived Caitlin darted toward George and Naomi, who was still dressed in her pale creamy satin dress. Flanked on either said were the Herrmann kids and a few others from the Newhouse clan.

"Love the dress," Erin praised Gabby as she neared.

"Okay…wow, you guys look amazing!" Shay praised as she too neared them.

"Happy for Rick," Kelly told Matt as he stood by his friend; each with a drink in their hands. "Give you any ideas?"

"Mom already has something for Mrs. Casey on the wall," Matt gently groaned as Kelly chuckled. "I know you bought a ring."

"Double wedding?"

"Think that would go over well?"

"Hardly," Kelly snickered as Shay neared them.

"You guys are next right? Want me to flip a coin to see who gets to say I do first?"

"She's drunk," Kelly quickly excused as Shay's lips pursed.

"Seriously guys…put a ring on it already," Shay looked at Kelly directly and then nodded in the direction of Erin who was being given way too much attention by one of Rick's friends.

"I'll help you bury the body," Matt lightly called out as Kelly headed for Erin. He watched Gabby fix something on Caitlin's dress before she and Naomi and George darted out of sight.

"I told them they weren't allowed to leave the hall," Gabby commented before she turned back to Matt with a small frown. "Oh I mean…well I just didn't want them to get lost or…Matt I'm sorry…"

"Why? I think it's great that you're so concerned about her. Shows you care," he admitted warmly as his hand slipped into hers.

"I do care," she replied seriously. "Very much…about you and her."

"I know."

"But…?" Gabby gently prodded. When she saw he didn't want to fess up in that moment, her hand gripped his and she led them outside to a more private place. "What's going on Matt? Talk to me."

Matt's warm blue eyes darted around a few seconds and then looked back at her with a serious expression. "Gabby I love you. But each time I think about…this isn't easy but…okay so if we were to say…get married then I…well I just didn't want you to feel obligated to legally adopt Caitlin."

She had thought about it but not to the extent that she would ever think that if she didn't want to or wasn't able to that her love for Matt or his daughter would diminish in any way.

"I one time had a wo…someone tell me that that was too serious a step and I shouldn't even think of asking. So if you were thinking I would ask…" he paused as his brow furrowed. "Just don't want to lose you over…anything…technical."

"Yes."

"What?"

"Was that your proposal?" Gabby winked as his expression softened. "Matt I love you. And I love Caitlin. Adoption is a big step and one that I won't just make a snap decision about overnight but…but I hope that wouldn't stop you from thinking that I want to be with you and Caitlin as a family. I do."

He moved in closer and gently cupped her face with his hands and kissed her on the lips before he pulled back with a warm and relieved smile. He wasn't going to ask her at Rick's wedding as even though it was romantic, it wasn't the place. The time would come and he now felt confident it would be sooner rather than later. She had just put another of his fears to rest – what else was holding him back?

Nothing.

"Come on…they'll be starting dinner soon."

With their hands clasped together, the two of them slowly walked back into the main wedding reception area and sat down by Kelly, Erin, Shay, Fiona and the kids. When Kelly and Matt went back to the bar to get drinks, Gabby looked at Erin and mentioned in a low tone…"Sheila is going to legally adopted Rick's daughter."

"Really? Makes sense…guess if something happens to him then he doesn't have to worry about his daughter going to the state or his ex, especially if they aren't on good terms and he has no other family," Erin commented as Gabby nodded in agreement. "Matt ever mention it?"

"Yeah…Kelly?"

"In passing. Think he's afraid it'll scare me away," Erin replied in a low tone.

"Funny, Matt and I just talked about it and that was exactly it," she replied as she watched the two men getting drinks; about to head back. "Would…you?"

Erin paused for a minute as she looked over at George and then felt her heart swell as she looked back at Dawson and smile. "I think I probably would. Why only go half way right?"

"All or nothing," Gabby retorted with a smile as Erin nodded.

By the time Matt and Kelly came back with drinks and a few stories from the bar, both ladies had settled in their minds and hearts that, even though it was a big step, it was an important one and one they'd want to take – they would work to legally adopt their soon to be husband's children.

The buffet dinner was enjoyed by all, the dessert bar especially a big hit with the invited children who were then content to sit and watch the adults get up for some dancing.

"This feels right," Matt whispered as he held Gabby's body close to his.

"In so many ways," she whispered back as she looked up at him with a dreamy gaze. "I'm glad we talked earlier."

"Me too," he admitted with a tender smile as his hand pressed a bit more into the small of her back. "Have I told you how amazing you look tonight?"

"I'll never tire of hearing it again," she retorted with a small purr in her tone. They danced another slow dance before she suggested that Matt dance with his daughter, who looked utterly bored sitting at the table with just George and a few empty plates.

"Come on goober," Shay stated as she watched Matt lead his daughter onto the dance floor.

"Don't wanna dance mom," George groaned as Shay arched her brows in annoyance.

"You are so like you father. And that is not a compliment right now," she huffed. "Move it!" She playfully ordered as Kelly and Erin watched in amusement.

"George, go with your mom," Kelly prodded as George finally got up and followed his mother onto the dance floor.

"Poor kid," Kelly snickered as Erin prodded him in the ribs.

Gabby watched Matt and Caitlin on the dancefloor and couldn't help but smile as she took a picture and then another with her phone and sent it to Matt's mom as per her request; something that delighted Nancy Casey to no end. But as soon as the dance was over, George darted back to the table as fast as he could go only to hear his mother tell him that he had to dance once with Caitlin and then once with Naomi Newhouse; his father agreed.

"Kid needs to socialize more," Shay grumbled as her and Fiona took to the dancefloor beside the kids.

"What?" Kelly laughed as Matt just shook his head. "Ever seen Benny try to dance?"

The rest of the evening was spent talking with friends, enjoying a few more drinks, dessert and finally some coffee's.

"Time to get them to bed," Matt commented as he noticed Caitlin trying her hardest to stay awake; George already lost the battle. "I'll get the coats."

"Come on sweetie, time to go home," Gabby whispered as Caitlin looked up at her with a sleepy smile and nodded. She took the little girl by the hand and the two of them slowly headed toward the entrance where Matt waited with the coats. On the drive back to Gabby's apartment, they talked in low tones about the wedding and the food and a few bloopers that seemed to highlight the nights more humorous points.

He had dropped his daughter off at home first as he wanted to put something into motion and didn't want to have to worry about her safety. At the entrance to her building, they paused as Gabby stepped up a few steps and then looked down at Matt's serious expression.

"What's going on?"

"This back and forth…" he paused as her hand reached out and rested on his face.

"I don't mind. I know it's for Cai…"

"I didn't want to ask at the wedding because it seemed cheesy and this isn't brought on by anything other than…" Matt's voice nervously trailed off as he pulled a small box from his pocket; her heart rate instantly skyrocketing. "I love you Gabriela Dawson. I love how you love my daughter and want to be a part of both our lives. I want you to be my wife and be part of our family. Will you…marry me?" He asked with a warm smile as he looked up tenderly.

Her eyes instantly shone with happy and excited tears as she looked at the ring and then at his loving expression and at first nodded; her brain unable to get words to her lips fast enough. "Yes…I will marry you Matt Casey. I love you so much!"

"I know this might not be the best timing or most romantic…" he was stopped by her leaning in for a kiss.

"Best proposal ever," she whispered with delight as she stepped back down the two steps to be on the same level as him and accepted the ring on her finger. His now free hands cupped her flushed cheeks and brought her lips back to his and kissed him firmly for a few seconds before he pulled back with a smile.

"Now…it's official," he told her in a low tone as he leaned in for one more kiss.

The happiness that started to spread between them promised in that moment only happiness and family stability, something they would need to rely on to deal with the life changing moment that would soon have them all on another path – one rather unexpected.

* * *

 **A/N 1:** *sigh* yay our couple is officially getting married and hope you all liked the little domestic scenes and Matt's proposal. All sunshine and roses ahead right? *wink* would love your thoughts on this and what's in store for our couple so please do review before you go and thanks so much!

 **A/N 2:** so I always waffle on the names b/c I find it weird they use last names as first names even on their off time and if Dawson does take Casey's name b/c this is AU she can't be Casey and he be Casey lol so right from the start am calling them by their first names and hope that's okay!


	2. A Surprising Bond

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 2 – A Surprising Bond**

* * *

"Earth to Dawson," Brett commented early the next morning as Gabby looked over at her partner Sylvie Brett with a big smile. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"What's sleep?" Gabby retorted as her partner looked back with a warm smile of her own.

"So…anything planned yet?"

"Matt just proposed last night," Gabby gently groaned as Brett snickered. "We don't want to wait too long. I get it…especially for Caitlin's sake. I want to be a family now."

"Want something traditional?"

"I don't know. I thought I did at one time but now…seems like such a hassle. Dress shopping, reception hall…flowers, cake, guests, menu…I was talking to Sheila at the wedding and hearing all the work she put into the wedding and she's an event planner by trade. I was like…wow that's a lot of work," Gabby's voice trailed off as she cast her gaze outside the window of the ambulance as they headed for their call. "Shay wants to be the best man," she added with a chuckle as Brett looked over and laughed also.

"So is Caitlin excited?"

"Think so. Matt told her first thing this morning he said she was excited but then I sometimes wonder if she remembers what it was like to have her real mom around," Gabby pondered as they reached their destination. But as much as she wanted to ponder that a bit more, duty called and it was time to get her head back in the game.

XXXXXXXX

"Just ask. You know she's going to say yes," Matt urged Kelly as he stood in the doorway to his small office that same morning; the day after he had asked Gabby to marry him.

"How did Caitlin handle the news?" Kelly inquired as Matt's mind trailed back to the early morning.

 _'Sweetheart. Do you like when Gabby is here?'_

 _'Yes. Where is she?'_

 _'She's at work right now. I like having her around too and she really likes being here. I uh…I love her and I asked her last night to marry me and come and live with us on a permanent basis. Is that okay?'_

 _'Yes. I like Gabby.'_

 _'Me too. And Grandma does too.'_

 _'When is she coming here daddy?'_

 _'Soon.'_

"Don't know the date. That's up to Gabby," Matt shrugged as he looked at his friend in question. "Double wedding?"

"Yeah think the girls will let that happen?" Kelly snickered as Matt shook his head no. The two of them talked a bit longer until there were some reports to complete and Gabby and Sylvie Brett finally returned.

"What's…going on?" Gabby inquired as she neared Matt's office and heard him offer a small curse.

"Hey…" he turned back to her and instantly felt a warm smile play upon his face. "Just this…it's nothing."

"You can tell me," Gabby insisted as Matt looked at her and nodded in resignation. "After all…I'll be Mrs. Casey…soon," she added with a small smile.

"It's…we had started a savings bond for Caitlin when she was born but uh…but it looks like we trusted the wrong advisor."

"Dear Mr. Casey we regret to inform you that…what? Can they do that?"

"Hallie had met with some financial guy in St. Louis but um…I just I let her take care of it and then after she died I just…I know there was paperwork but…but it seems that we trusted the wrong guy and he…mis-invested it. It wasn't that much but it was something and now…now nothing."

Gabby eased herself down onto his desk and then looked at his distressed expression and then took his hand and held it tightly. "We can start saving now."

He looked up at her with an expression of surprise but once again felt himself finding strength in her warm gaze and his face softened and a smile grew. "Great idea. Maybe I should start helping at Molly's?"

"But if I pay you then I'm basically…screwing all of us," she retorted as his brow furrowed.

"I wouldn't mind if you scre…" he started only to be interrupted by the overhead paging system that made her laugh as he shook his head.

The two of them hurried into the hallway and joined the rest of the Firehouse 51 crew as they rushed toward their waiting gear and the waiting trucks.

 _'Apartment fire. 23 Sprucewood Drive…'_

"Dawson?" Brett inquired as Gabby looked over with a small frown. "You okay?"

"Yeah just…you know planning the wedding and all the things that go into it and I'm like…such a big expense."

"Why not elope?"

"Thought about it but it uh…it just kinda cheats friends and family out of sharing it with us. We know it won't be big but even a smaller size…no matter the size it takes planning and money. Just want to be a family already."

"City hall?" Brett suggested.

"Oh yeah that's romantic," Gabby retorted with a small snicker as they reached their destination. As soon as Ambulance 61 came to a stop, both of them put on their game faces, got out of the ambulance and hurried toward the entrance to the building to await anyone who might be needing first aid.

"Dawson! Brett!"

Gabby grabbed one of the boards and hurried toward Otis who helped a young girl who exited the building just as they got there. She started to treat the young girl when she heard Boden call out to Casey and Severide and looked up to see her fiancé rush into the burning building and felt her heart stop for the briefest of seconds but yet to her it seemed like an eternity until she heard his voice crack to life over Boden's phone.

"Chout! Take her to Med!"

"You got it Dawson!"

"Dawson! Need help here!"

She turned to see Herrmann in the entranceway with a woman in his grasp that had started to convulse. "I got this!" She told Brett as she twisted around and darted toward the entrance of the fiery structure just as Matt exited by another way while Kelly and Cruz were still inside on the top floor.

"Fire's hot in there chief."

 _"We need that ladder up here!" Severide's voice is heard over Boden's radio. "She could flashover at any moment."_

Matt looked around to make sure all his team was accounted for but wasn't able to see Gabby. He saw Brett but not his fiancé and that set a mild panic in him in seconds.

"Herrmann! You seen Dawson?"

"Yeah she was…" Herrmann started as he looked back at the building where he thought Gabby had exited but then didn't see her. "I think she went back inside? Heard there might be a kid still in there."

"Dawson!" Boden's voice is heard over the radio as Matt looked at his chief in concern. "Dawson!"

"Chief I'm going in," Matt suggested.

Boden looked up at Severide and Cruz who waited as the ladder neared. "No one else inside."

 _Come on Gabby…come on!_

Gabby crouched on her hands and knees as she looked at the scared little face huddled behind the two chairs as she felt the heat intensifying behind her. "We have to go okay? The building is about to go down. We need to go now. Please don't make me come after you," she stated as she pushed the chairs away and looked at the adorable little face that instantly tugged at her heart strings.

"Come on…the building's on fire and we gotta get out," Gabby entreated the scared little face before her; her mind yelling at her to leave the building – NOW! "I know you're scared but if you don't come out, I'm going to have to come and get you."

"Chief I can't reach Dawson! She's still inside," Matt's anxious request is directed at Boden who instantly responds.

"Dawson! Report!"

A few seconds later she was able to grab the little boy in her arms and hurry toward the entrance of the room, while she heard Severide and Cruz had just narrowly missed being consumed by the flashover fireball.

"Gabby!" Matt shouted as he rushed toward her as she cradled the young boy in her grasp; her arms able to feel how much his little frame shuddered in arms.

"We're okay," she tried to reassure Matt as she looked up at him with a small frown; their eyes locking for a few seconds before reality rushed back in.

"Is he hurt?" Brett questioned as she neared the back of the ambulance while the child clung to her.

"No…he's just scared," Gabby replied as she climbed into the back of the ambulance and then slowly eased herself down onto the bench and looked at the little boy in her grasp. She tried to push him back so that Brett could take a look and make sure that he was indeed okay but he wouldn't let go and looked up with a pleading expression.

"This is my friend Sylvie," Gabby entreated warmly. "She just wants to take a look at you."

"That's a serious death grip he has on you," Herrmann pointed out as Boden neared the back of the ambulance.

"Yeah…he was hiding. It took some convincing to get him to come out to me," Gabby confessed softly as she looked first at Herrmann and then at Matt.

"Take him to Med," Matt suggested as Boden nodded. "He trusts you."

"See you both back at the house," Boden confirmed as he turned and headed back toward the rest of the team.

"I'll see you later," Gabby told Matt as she looked back down at the little boy in her grasp. "Hi honey…I'm Gabby…what's your name?"

She leaned back on the side of the ambulance and held the child close to her, his little racing heart thumping in his chest as he leaned back against her – not wanting to let go. Even when they arrived at Med she had to escort the little boy into one of the rooms and stay with him as Dr. Will Halstead examined him.

"Well…all clear…you're in good shape buddy," Will Halstead reported as he playfully tugged on the little boys foot.

"Yeah…gimme five," Gabby entreated as she held out her hand. But her heart swelled for a few seconds when the little palm slapped hers, making her grin widen even more. But a few seconds later her expression turned serious when he looked up and said…"want my blankie."

"Aww sweetie we don't have your blankie…remember? We had to leave it at your home," she commented as Brett showed up with some even grimmer news.

"Dawson…DCFS is here about the boy."

She gave Brett a nod and then both watched as Dr. Halstead took his leave. "DCFS? I don't understand…did the mother die?"

"I don't know," Brett replied with a huff. "Is he ready to go?"

"Yeah…he is," Gabby answered as she stood up, the young child still in her grasp. She felt his little arms tighten a bit more around her neck as her and Brett slowly headed toward the nursing station in the ER. _Okay just….he's not yours so you have to just let him go…_ she reminded herself.

"Louie was being fostered by Jane Peters. She's not his mother."

Gabby's ears, however, latched onto the first part of that sentence – I know his name. "Now I know your name…Louie," she stated with a warm smile as she looked down at him and his large dark eyes looked up at her. "It's a good name."

"He's not going back there is he?" Brett inquired.

"No…just saw his file," DCFS Agent Kantrell started with a heavy sigh, "neighbors had made complaints and we have been meaning to investigate but with lack of funding and the fact that the agency is a little overwhelmed right now. So now…now we'll take him to a group center and try to find him a new foster family."

Her mind raced and heart ached. She had heard so many horrible stories about children in foster care and how they were abused and mistreated and…and as she started into those warm brown pools she felt something inside her starting to a bit…motherly? Protective? Both? This wasn't her child. She knew nothing about him but still the thought of sending him back to a cold, unloving center…scared her. But what could she do? This wasn't her issue and they had been warned right from day one of training to not make it personal…don't get involved…it's not my business. But right now…that warning just seemed to dissipate.

Gabby clung to Louie a bit longer before she knew she had to let him go. "Come on Louie…" Kantrell started as she gently plucked him from Gabby's grasp and turned to leave. The little boy's scared gaze locked with hers and refused to let go.

 _You can't do this…you can't let him just go like that…_ her mind begged as her heart started to ache. "It's going to be okay Louie," she said out loud – mostly for her own sake. But inside she knew it wasn't going to be. As long as he was in view, her mind was somewhat comforted, however, as soon as DCFS rounded the corner and was out of view her mind yelled at her that she had made a terrible mistake.

She looked at Brett and Brett shook her head no.

"No…" Brett started.

"I just want to ask if…why does he have to stay in the center until he's adopted?"

"Dawson…you know why. You're not adopting him."

"But those centers are just so cold and impersonal," Gabby tried to reason as she slowly headed for the entrance of Chicago Med.

"What is Matt going to say?"

"He hates those places too," Gabby shot back as she pushed her way outside into the cool afternoon air. "Agent Kantrell! Can I talk to you a minute?"

Gabby hurried toward the confused agent with the small child in her arms all the while her mind kept asking her two important questions – what are you doing? And what will Matt think if you bring a strange child home?

* * *

 **A/N:** okay so b/c I wanted them to be together and work toward getting married, Dawson is a medic when she found Louie and hope that's okay and hey it's AU so I can bend the rules a little hehe but oh dear emotions are running high and you know Alice is at the helm here so not everything will be as it seems hehe. Wanted to toss in a few little flirty moments so would love you to tell me what you thought in your review before you leave and thanks so much!


	3. A Growing Bond

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 3 – A Growing Bond**

 **A/N:** MAJOR winter storms out here so sorry this update is a bit late but hope you are all liking this story and this update. Thanks and enjoy!

* * *

"I know that look," Matt commented as Gabby entered Firehouse 51 about an hour later. "How did it go with the boy from the fire?"

"It went…good," she replied slowly as her warm dark eyes darted around then looked back at him with a small frown.

"I know that tone," he added to which her expression slightly softened. "Come on…let's talk about it," he entreated as he guided her out of the open area, away from prying eyes and listening ears and then into his office. "What's going on?"

She leaned against the door and looked at him with a somewhat distressed expression. "That boy Louie…he…that woman that was in the fire, she died."

"Oh no," Matt huffed as she nodded sadly. "Does he have a father?"

"She was his foster care guardian not his mother. Mother is dead and there is no father on file. He's not come forward in 4 years."

"Oh," Matt stated simply as he recalled the way the young boy clung to Gabby as soon as they emerged from the burning building. "Gabby…"

"I know…I shouldn't get involved and maybe DCFS will be able to track down someone but…but when I saw the look on his face. Louie…it broke my heart."

"You know we're cautioned not to get involved with all emotional calls."

"I know…and I'm always the one telling Brett not to get attached but…but he was just so sad and I hate those places. The holding center is bad enough but at least you know a child in their care won't be neglected or abused but…but in foster care…I mean do we even know if the cause of the fire was her fault?"

"Only supposition at this time," Matt replied in truth. "AI has to do their final inspection to make any rulings…but it could look like way."

"I just don't want to leave him in that cold place after what he's been through."

"You…wait…"

"Maybe I could take him home for a few days just to…." her voice trailed off as she shook her head and sighed heavily. "I know they won't allow that."

"Not unless…"

"I want to think about adopting him," she concluded softly as they locked eyes for a few heated seconds. A few seconds of silence started to develop before she slowly turned and pulled the door open.

"Gabby…"

"Yeah I…I gotta think about this or…" she paused as her expression screwed up. "He lost his blanket. Matt, it broke my heart to hear that."

"Was it in the fire?"

"Yeah but…I should just drop this right?" She asked as Boden approached them.

"Casey, busy?"

"No…I was just leaving," Gabby told her boss before she ducked into the hallway and Boden took her place.

"Everything okay?" He asked Matt in wonder.

"Yeah…just giving me an update on the boy from the fire. What did you need?"

Gabby slowly headed toward the laundry room and once inside the solitary space, hopped up onto one of the laundry machines and started to think.

"Why the long face?"

Gabby looked up as Lesley Shay entered and stared at her in wonder.

"Someone kill your cat?" Shay queried as Gabby's lips twisted into a smile.

"No…there was a call today…why are you here?"

"Gee thanks," Shay drawled. "George left his sweater in Kelly's backpack so I had to come and get it because apparently the world is ending if the kid doesn't get his sweater. Okay so…back to the call."

"There was this little boy…maybe like 3 or 4…maybe 3…Louie…his foster guardian…she died in the fire and now he has to go back to the center to wait for another placement. It just…breaks my heart."

"And?" Shay urged.

"And…I was thinking that maybe he could stay with me until he finds a placement but I know they won't allow that unless I'm thinking of adopting and Matt has Caitlin and I wanted to think about legally adopting her and we're getting married and I have wedding to think about and I'm just…"

"Stressed," Shay interjected.

"Stressed. I know why Matt is worried and he's right…yeah he's right…" she huffed as she hopped off the top of the washing machine and looked at her new friend. "Right?"

"I'd say yes but I see in your eyes you don't believe what you're asking so…no not right. But you have to make that call. You have a lot of stuff going on."

"I know."

Matt watched Gabby exit the laundry area with a somewhat dejected expression and knew that she was hurting from being so torn on wanting to help the young boy and realize that she couldn't get attached to every call where someone was in need.

She looked up and caught his gaze and held it for a few seconds before she offered him a tight lipped smile and headed toward the common area of Firehouse 51.

"Gabby…."

She turned and watched Matt approach and despite her current mood, seeing him offer her a warm smile always lifted her mood a little higher. "I want to at least get him a new blanket….maybe the same color…something that he's familiar with just….something about this kid Matt…the way he clung to me…trusted me…I know it's probably just emotion from being caught up in the moment," her voice trailed off as he neared her and put both his hands on her forearms and gave them a comforting squeeze.

"I think you wanting to take him his blanket and something he's familiar with makes sense," he assured her as her warm dark eyes lifted to meet his. "The one from the fire is damaged beyond repair."

"Figured that woul…wait…how do you know?" She pressed as he offered her a small smile. "You went back to the scene didn't you?"

"AI was there and didn't need it for evidence so I just asked if I could see it and when I looked at it…it was damaged beyond repair."

"Did they ask why you were there?" Gabby inquired.

"No," Matt shrugged.

But little did he realize that his trip to the fire scene didn't go unnoticed by another onlooker – one that made careful note of the 51 Lieutenant's arrival and what he 'might' have taken. It would come back to him later. "We'll go after shift and get him a new one."

"We?"

"We," Matt nodded as he squeezed her hands. "We'll do this together."

"Thank you."

XXXXXXXX

"Suddenly I'm nervous," Gabby commented as Matt parked his truck outside the DCFS holding center's building about a half hour later and looked at him with a strained expression. "Just dropping off the blanket right?"

"Right," Matt agreed as his expression softened. He reached over, took his hand and held it firmly for a few seconds; that bond instantly giving her the strength she needed to get this simple task done. "Let's go."

"Okay."

As two of them slowly walked toward the entrance of the building, Gabby's heart rate started to soar to unexpected heights. _It's just a blanket…it's the same color and it obviously has sentimental value so…so just drop it and go…._ she told herself as they entered.

"Ms. Dawson," DCFS Agent Kantrell greeted her with a small smile and then looked at Matt.

"Matt Casey. I'm her fiancé."

"Nice to meet you. Are you here for Louie?"

"We…came to drop off this blanket," Gabby offered in haste. "Is it okay if we go and see him?"

"Course. Room 8. He'll be happy to see you."

"Gabby said you've had trouble placing him," Matt commented as she slowly nodded.

"Always tough to see kids in these situations. Louie's not a bad kid…just needs someone to give him more time than the last two placements have."

"What happened to the placement before this one?"

"I can't really say, I'm sorry. But I just hope that he goes to a good home next. Most people want to adopt babies. Even a few years can dissuade some really good families."

"Doesn't seem fair," Matt commented as he watched Gabby pull away and head for the room that Louie was in. "Thanks."

"Sure, take your time."

He looked at her and she offered a sympathetic smile in return.

Matt pulled away and started to slowly follow after his fiancé. But just before the room Louie was in, he paused to look into a room that housed a little girl that was probably the same age as his daughter and his heart instantly sunk. She looked up with an expectant smile and he had to just give her a small wave and turn away in haste. But as he did he caught out of the corner of his eye the look of sorrow and disappointment and his heart sunk further.

He knew that if Gabby spent more time with Louie that her heart would become involved and if things didn't go well for the young boy, she could deal herself an emotional setback. Something he didn't want to see happen.

Gabby entered Louie's room and paused as she spied him sitting on the bed all alone…by himself in a strange room with no one around who loved him and her heart started to ache. "Hey Louie," she greeted as the young boy looked up and instantly offered a small smile; something that settled her heart.

"Look what I brought you," she declared in a soft tone as the young boy's dark eyes watched with anticipation as she eased herself down beside him and handed him the soft blue blanket with a baseball imprint on it. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah," Louie replied as he took the blanket and clutched it to him. He looked up when Matt entered and instantly nudged into the folds of Gabby's arms as she looked up at Matt with an endearing smile.

"That's okay, that's Matt. He's my…that's Matt. He's a friend. You can trust him," she told the young boy in a soothing tone as Matt neared the bed and then looked down with a warm smile.

"Hi Louie, I'm Matt. Can I sit down?" Matt asked in a kind tone as Louie hesitated before he nodded yes and Matt eased himself down.

"Well I guess we should…" Gabby started as she knew they shouldn't stay too long and get the little boy's hopes up if they weren't going to take any real action in his future.

But a few seconds later, Louie's surprising actions interrupted her words when he picked up a small board book and handed it to her.

"Oh…you want me to read it to you?" She asked softly as he looked up and nodded. Her warm chocolate pools looked up and once again locked with Matt's as she silently begged for some reassurance if they were able to stay a bit longer.

"Think that would be a great idea," Matt stated with some hesitation as Louie pressed up against Gabby and held his blanket as she opened the small book and then started to read the first page.

"Ohhh Corduroy. I love this book," she stated with enthusiasm as Louie looked up at her with a soft gaze. "Will you help me read it?"

Matt sat on the other side of the bed and watched with growing adoration and worry as Gabby continued to bond with the little boy. He adored her zeal and desire to help the child after such a traumatic event but worried that her heart would become more and more attached to a situation that might not have the ending she wanted. But as he listened to her kind and encouraging tone his heart swelled for her even more. _She'll make an amazing mother_ , his mind silently praised.

Gabby paused in the reading as Louie turned the page and looked up at Matt and caught his loving gaze and basked in the glow of his quiet encouragement and confidence. But at the same time she could see the storms brewing in his sapphire pools and knew that he was worried she might be giving the young child false hopes. That wouldn't be fair to either of them.

They reached the end of the book and Gabby knew it was time to go – regrettably. "We have to go Louie," she told him as she planted a tender kiss on the top of his head and closed her eyes a few seconds.

"Why?" He asked as he looked up and Matt's heart instantly seized.

"We have to get back to work. Matt is a firefighter."

Louie looked over at Matt and just stared at him a few seconds while Matt looked back at him with a tender smile.

"We gotta go buddy."

Matt gave her a nod and then leaned over and gave Louie's little arm a tender squeeze. "Bye Louie."

She couldn't promise that she'd seem him again because she wasn't sure so she told him to be strong and gave him one last hug and kiss before she regrettably pulled away and headed for the door to go out. Just as she reached the exit, she turned and gave him a terse smile and brief wave as he looked at her with a heartbroken gaze.

Gabby felt Matt's hand slip into hers, squeeze it and then gently guide her into the hallway and out of his view.

"I know…don't get too attached," she whispered as she looked at Matt with a tight smile but a teary gaze.

"Gabby…"

"I just had to take him the blanket," she added with a small huff as they neared the front desk. "I hate these places."

"How was he?" Kantrell asked in concern.

"He was…uh fine," Gabby replied with a tense smile as Kantrell's lips pursed. "He liked the blanket."

"He has no natural family?" Matt inquired.

"None on record. Mother was an addict that gave him up at birth."

"Damn, kid can't catch a break," Gabby huffed sadly.

"Because of what he's been through, he might be difficult to place," Kantrell stated seriously. "But…he's young enough so he still has a shot. We'll do our best."

"Hope so," Gabby added with a tight lipped smile. "He deserves that."

"Ms. Dawson…"

"We can't," she interjected in haste. "And it wouldn't be fair to get his hopes up. But I uh…I just hope he goes to a good home."

With that Gabby pulled away from Matt and slowly headed for the front door while Matt lingered by Agent Kantrell for a few seconds.

"I wasn't implying her," Kantrell offered to Matt in sympathy.

"I know. She's just uh…emotional about this. Thank you," Matt added before he too pulled away and followed after his fiancé. "Gabby!" He called as he cleared the building and then picked up his pace. She stopped just before his truck; her back still to the DCFS center.

"I shouldn't have gone back," she stated stonily as her gaze fixed on the landscape ahead of her. He came up behind her and gently pulled her back to him and held her against his strong chest as her hands rested on his and gave them a squeeze.

"I saw a little girl in there…looked just like Caitlin."

"I'm sorry."

"No I get it," Matt agreed softly as she closed her eyes for a few seconds and was whisked back in time – to the time of the fire. "You made a connection with him and he…has no one to care for him. You want to see him get something better."

She exhaled heavily before she twisted herself around to face him and look up with a heavy frown. "I know _we_ can't do this but…but I think _I_ need to do this," she pondered as his head slightly cocked to the right. "I need to do something more for him. I just…we bonded and I can't just leave him to be pawned off to some uncaring guardian. I need…to help him. I…do."

"What are you saying?" Matt prodded with some hesitation. "Talk to me…what do you need?"

She leaned in closer and looked at him with a serious expression; the two of them so lost in each other and the moment they failed to see another set of eyes watching them with interest.

* * *

 **A/N:** Okay so since this follows my AU and not the series (only some story points are from the series like the parts with Louie) Casey won't be an Alderman. But this is my storyline hehe and Alice is in charge so you know there's gonna be lots of twists and turns ahead hehe (and yes impending danger!) So hope you are still loving this storyline and please do review before you go and let me know and thanks so much!


	4. Growing Danger?

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 4 – Growing Danger?**

* * *

"Matt…I know we're going to get married but I can't ask you to take Louie. You have Caitlin and…I think I'm just letting emotion get the best of me," she huffed as she looked past him to the cold, uncaring building. "He has no family….no real family and he'll just be shuffed off to some person who won't care what happens to him. I know I can't save them all but…but I feel I need to try with Louie. I don't know why, but I just do."

Matt looked at her with a serious expression before he took both her hands in his and squeezed them tightly and then leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. "When I asked you to marry me I did so knowing that there would be troubles and hurdles and…unexpected situations."

"But with Caitlin…" Gabby started and then stopped as her brow furrowed heavily. "I love you Matt but I just want to make sure that Louie gets the home he needs and deserves. That he has someone who will love him. I'm not talking us adopting him but…but maybe just fostering him and only him this one time…just so that after something so tragic he has…has a friendly face."

Matt pulled her into his arms and held her close as he felt his love for her grow to another degree. "Let's go talk to Agent Kannell and see what she thinks and then…then we'll go talk to Caitlin and my mom and see what they think."

"Really? You…you'd do that?" Gabby asked in shock as Matt gave her a firm nod.

"For you yes. I love you and that means facing challenges together."

She looped her arm through his and then both of them headed back into DCFS office and up to the desk were Agent Kantrell watched them approach with an expectant expression.

"What's…going on?" She asked with some hesitation.

XXXXXXXX

Gabby and Matt returned to Firehouse 51 and parted ways when they entered. Matt headed for his office to finish up his paperwork and Gabby headed toward the kitchen, only to see her brother enter and approached him with a strained expression.

"Hey…" she greeted her brother with a tense smile. "What's…going on?"

"Not sure if your house got the report yet but the mother's body…" Antonio started.

"She wasn't his mother," Gabby interjected dryly.

"Okay…whatever she was…the woman where the boy was found…she was killed. Shot twice in the back of the head. M.E. just confirmed."

"Murdered? But why?"

"I don't know. Not sure why they left the kid unless…"

"Unless they didn't know he was there?" Gabby interjected again with a mild horrified expression as she looked at her brother in dread. "Do you think Louie might know something?"

"Who's Louie?" Antonio inquired as Gabby's lips pursed. "What? That's the kid?"

"Yes," she gently groaned. "Think he might have seen something?"

"I don't know. Brett said you were pretty cozy with him."

"She did?" Gabby retorted as they both turned to look at Brett a few meters away who simply offered them a sweet shrug. "Okay so yes…I rescued him from the fire and he was pretty shaken up. Want me to go with you?"

"You've gained his trust. Might even be better if you ask," Antonio suggested as she offered him an instantly nod. "I'll talk to Boden."

"What's going on?" Brett inquired as she neared.

"'Tonio thinks the boy from the fire might know something about the woman who was his 'guardian'. She uh…apparently she died before the fire and it was set to cover up her death."

"Wow he could be in danger also…"

"Think if someone saw him they would have…" Gabby's voice stopped as a small lump formed in her throat. "To think about anyone hurting that sweet boy for no reason makes me scared and angry at the same time."

"Antonio will find who did this," Brett stated with pride as Gabby looked at her with an appreciative smile. "Just don't…tell him I said that…goes to his head."

"Mum's the word," Gabby nodded as Matt and Antonio neared them. "Did he tell you?"

"He did. I hope Louie will be okay. Boden will put Stella with Brett until you get back if there's a call," Matt told her as she gave him a firm nod and then turned and headed toward the exit doors with her brother.

"What's going on?" Kelly inquired as he neared Matt.

"Not sure yet. The woman in the fire…she was murdered and it looks like the fire was set to cover her death but it was the same apartment that Dawson found the boy," Matt explained. "So Antonio just wants to know if he saw anything but Louie trusts Gabby so…she's going."

"Louie?"

"Louie," Matt whispered as he watched the black police sedan pull away and felt his worry starting to gain momentum. "Just worry she's getting in over her head."

"Dawson? Nah…" Kelly snickered as he clapped Matt on the shoulder and then pulled away.

But along with his worry for her emotions he also worried that with a murderer on the loose now possibly tied to the boy she was going to see it might invite unwanted danger.

XXXXXXXX

"Matt seemed a bit more worried. Gab's…this is just routine," Antonio tried to convince his sister as they neared the same place she and Matt had been earlier. "Come on…what's going on? You getting cold feet or something?"

"What? No…okay so Matt and I were here earlier and…the boy, Louie that we're going to talk to…Matt and I…we talked to Agent Kantrell about possibly looking after Louie for a few days until…until he gets his next placement. I know they agreed because they think we might possibly…adopt."

Antonio brought the car to a stop and then looked at his sister in shock. "But…you want to legally adopt Caitlin right?"

"Course. I love her…I do, but when I pulled Louie from that fire and he…we connected and that woman he was with…just some guardian mixed up with drug dealers and…Tonio his birth mother died of a drug overdose. All he's ever know is pain and loss…I just want some happiness for him."

"Don't think this is such a good idea but it's your choice so…just be careful okay? This kid could be mixed up in some pretty serious stuff, even if he doesn't know it."

"Well I'm hoping that he doesn't know anything," Gabby stated in an undertone as they both got out of the car and headed into the office.

"Ms. Dawson and…"

"Antonio Dawson. Brother but…here today as CPD," Antonio flashed his badge as Gabby continued past and headed for Louie's room while Antonio told Kantrell the reason for his visit.

Gabby entered Louie's room and then smiled with delight as the little boy looked up at her and offered her a small smile as well. "Hi Louie. Remember me? Gabby?"

The little boy nodded his head as she slowly eased herself down onto the bed beside him. "What are you doing?"

The room was bleak and lonely and her heart instantly sunk as soon as he moved in a bit closer to her and basked in her familiar warmth. "Louie, my brother is here to visit you also. His name is Antonio. He's a friend."

The young boy looked up at her with an adoring glance and then over at Antonio and frowned.

"Hey buddy…" Antonio greeted as he gave Louie's hand a small shake and then smiled. But when Louie looked back down at his boys, Antonio and Gabby locked gazes and she knew what she had to do – ask him some questions about the woman he lived with.

"Louie…before the fire. Was there someone who visited you?"

Louie looked up at her with a frown before he looked back down at his toys and then Gabby took a deep breath and then tried once more. She showed him a picture of one of the two men known to frequent the woman that had been his "guardian". "Hey sweetie…have you seen this guy before?" Gabby asked as she showed him the picture that Antonio had given her.

Louie looked at the picture and then back down at his toys as Gabby looked up at her brother who pursed his lips and urged him to offer the second. Which she did. This time she got a reaction from the boy who lifted his dark eyes and offered a slight nod.

"You saw him before? Where you lived?" Gabby tenderly prodded as Antonio waited with bated breath. "Good boy," she praised when he nodded again and then looked back down at his toys. "Think he'd know his name?"

"No…I don't want to use him as some kind of witness. He's too young to know anything solid but the fact that he had seen that guy in his guardian's company tells me more than he can," Antonio whispered as he looked at the little boy who cast an adoring glance up at his sister and knew her emotions were getting stronger. "We should go."

"Read," Louie said as he handed Gabby the book she had read with him last time and her heart sunk a bit further.

"Okay sweetie….just a few minutes okay? When we have to get back to work."

XXXXXXXX

Chief Boden neared Matt and then stood beside him in silence as he stared out the window of the firehouse into the light grey afternoon.

"Something wrong?" Boden inquired as Matt looked at him and then shook his head no.

"Chief…just worried about Gabby. This case with this young boy…he might have seen the man who killed his guardian but he's…he's like 4 so I'm not sure what kind of information he'll give them… and Gabby's getting very emotionally attached. I'm just worried that this kid might be the target of something bad and it'll spread to those I love and care about."

"Valid concerns," Boden agreed as he looked at Matt in concern. "Antonio will keep them safe."

"More worried about her emotional attachment," Matt huffed in resignation. "I was there…I saw how that little boy clung to her…how he trusts her and after that ordeal…I can see him wanting that stability."

Boden waited until Matt finished before he looked at his Lieutenant square on.

"We have talked about maybe…fostering Louie until a permanent home can be found for him. A better one," Matt explained with a small frown. "Being in that place Chief…I wish all those poor children could find safe homes to be placed with loving homes."

"I understand."

"But I hear a but in there…" Matt interjected.

"Just…be careful. I'm not going to tell you what to do other than that."

With that Boden gave Matt a warm pat on the back and then turned and walked away. Matt watched him leave and then quickly turned his attention to Antonio's car as it pulled back up to the front of the Firehouse and Gabby got out, gave her brother a wave and then headed inside.

He headed toward the entrance to Firehouse 51 and then stopped when he watched her approach with a pensive expression and his heart instantly started to beat a bit faster.

"How'd it go?" He asked in immediate concern.

"He knew the second guy…Marco. At least he seemed to but I think Antonio wanted to know if he did because if Louie did then…"

"Marco will know he knows that."

"Matt's he's just a kid. Surely this Marco would know that he doesn't know anything much…right?" She asked somewhat rhetorically.

"I don't know but these guys…if they are desperate enough they might just be willing to do anything to rid themselves of anyone who can ID them."

"Louie can't be a material witness for anything," Gabby insisted as her agitation grew.

"What else did Antonio say?"

"So far no chatter about the woman who died or the kid in the apartment," Gabby explained in truth as she looked at him with a tense expression. "I'm just so worried about him."

"Me too," he whispered as he reached over and gave her hand a comforting squeeze.

"Matt…"

"Tell you what," he started as both his hands rested on her tense forearms. "Let's give it another day and then check with Antonio and if still no chatter…we can think about fostering Louie until a new family…"

"A good family…"

"A good family," Matt paused as he gave her a smile. "Will that work?"

"I think that's a great idea," she smiled as he pulled her in for a brief and reassuring hug.

 _However, what the two of them failed to notice was the two sets of eyes watching them in wonder._

 _"That them?"_

 _"Yup. That's the guy that went back into the house for the blanket and she's the one we followed to the shelter."_

 _"Damn…that's bad…"_

 _"Yeah…for them."_

* * *

 **A/N:** Hope everyone is still loving this story as much as me J course our couple will face this together but hmm how will that affect them all? Esp with the impending danger hehe and how will it go when Louie goes home with them the first time so please do review before you go b/c your review keep me writing for you and thanks so much!


	5. An Important Decision

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 5 – An Important Decision**

* * *

"She said yes," Kelly boasted to Matt the next morning as Matt looked up with a small frown.

"You proposed? Last night? Where at a call?"

"No," Kelly gently groaned. "But…it was kinda spur of the moment …but it was also kinda perfect. She said yes and…and that was it. I got down on one knee so that kinda made it official," he gently chuckled. But when he noticed Matt's brow furrow he was quick to call him on it. "You think…I made a mistake?"

"What? uh no…no I think it's great. Happy for you guys and Shay loves her and so does George so you have all your bases covered. It's this thing with Louie. I didn't tell Dawson but when I went back to the burnt apartment for the blanket I saw a fresh cigarette butt."

"How fresh?"

"Wasn't burned in the fire. I know some of the AI's smoke but they know not to light up at an active scene or leave something behind when the scene is still active," Matt stated as Kelly nodded in confirmation. "Someone was there after the fire was put out and after AI had done their inspection. Unless before and they missed it."

"Not likely. If there was a fresh butt there they would have catalogued it. What do you think they were looking for?"

"Drugs," Matt stated as he looked up at Kelly thoughtfully. "I texted Antonio last night when I had a free moment. She's so attached to Louie and I have to admit…I am to. Damn….when I was in that place…a little girl in there looked just like Catlin."

"Oh man…those places are so horrible," Kelly lightly lamented. "I know after George was born, we put down guardianship to Benny in case something ever happened to him. I called her on it and asked if she was joking at the time but she said better to have him raised by someone who actually loves him then to be stuck in one of those DCFS places."

"She's right," Matt agreed in misery. "The more holding rooms I walked past the more I wanted to take them all home. Just seemed so unfair. I know people like to adopt babies but…but it just seems so unfair for the others."

"Yeah…" Kelly agreed as he looked at his friend with a sympathetic glance. "Hopefully this kid Louie can get a good home."

"Yeah and hopefully whatever the guardian was into won't affect him in any way," Matt stated somewhat wistfully as overhead paging system went off. "Worry about that later!"

"Yup!" Kelly acknowledged as he turned and rushed into the hallway; Matt a few seconds behind. But even still he couldn't help but wonder what the discussion with his daughter would go like. He was sure his mother would be okay with it, especially if she knew it was just temporary but he wasn't sure how Caitlin would react. She didn't mind having George stay with them but the two of them bonded a bit more easily because the two families were close and there was an element of trust there that with Louie's past was missing.

"You're head in the game?" Boden asked Matt in concern.

"Yes chief!" Matt responded firmly as he pulled away and hurried toward Herrmann and Otis. He called out instructions to his team and they hurried with the rest of Squad toward the burning structure.

XXXXXXX

"Did you tell Kelly?" Gabby asked Matt as they slowly headed for his house early the next morning, their shifts over and now to talk to Nancy and Caitlin and then enjoy some much needed rest.

"Yeah told him that if we do decide to take Louie he'll be at the park with us. You still okay with this?"

"Are you?"

"I am but…but how will…he's going to stay at my place only because I think it'll be safer but…"

"But I don't live there yet," Gabby stated with a small huff as she looked over at Matt with a small frown. "And I know how the courts prefer couples who…"

"You want to move up the wedding date?"

"Seems like we're rushing something that…that just happened," Gabby sighed as she rested her hand on her forehead and then looked out the window.

"Let's go talk to mom and Caitlin and tell them we're gonna have him stay with us for a little while and you can stay also and…"

"And sneak back to my own place when I need something…personal," she finished in a soft whisper as Matt's hand reached over and gave hers a comforting squeeze.

"It's gonna be okay," he assured her as his truck stopped and both of them slowly headed into Matt's home with heart rates slightly elevated and not knowing what to expect. "Mom?" Matt called out only to get silence in return. He looked at Gabby with a heavy frown before he heard a squeal from the backyard and then allowed himself to smile. "Come on…"

"Matthew. Gabriela," Nancy Casey looked up at them with a happy smile as Caitlin broke free and rushed toward her father's open arms and accepted a hug as he hoisted her into the air and then planted a warm kiss on her cheek. "We were just trying to find the magic beanstalk that Jack planted."

"It's here daddy," Caitlin looked up with a smile; her hands still covered with mud from the hole she had been digging.

"Well if you do find that stalk root or the bean…just don't water it until dinner time," Matt winked as his daughter rushed toward him with her dirty hands raised. He hoisted her into the air; his ears always delighting in her musical laughter. For a few seconds, his mind flashed back into the DCFS holding center and the little girl who looked up at him with an expectant expression and his loving grip around her tightened – not wanting to let go. He helped her sit down on the steps beside her, Gabby and Nancy seated on the steps just below them.

"So…we have something rather serious we want to talk to you both about," Matt started as Nancy looked up in wonder.

"You two aren't…"

"No," Gabby inserted in haste as her hand snaked up and grabbed Matt's; his fingers instantly tightening around her. "We're still getting married."

"You're going to elope?" Nancy asked hopefully as Gabby's cheeks flushed and Matt looked at his mother with a dry smile. "Can't blame a mother for trying."

Gabby's mind whirled around with thoughts about the date and now faced a tough dilemma – wanting to do something traditional or just something spur of the moment. Matt told her he didn't care, but she wanted to give him a day that he would never forget.

"So at our last call there was a little boy, Louie. He's 4 and now…homeless and…an orphan."

"That's…horrible," Nancy offered in sorrow.

"What's that mean daddy?" Caitlin inquired in wonder.

"It means he has no parents and no home to go to," Matt explained in truth. "He really bonded with Gabby and…"

"And I was going to take him for a few days with me to give him a…well a better home than just the cold DCFS center but Matt…" she paused as she looked up with a tense smile and his grasp around her hand tightened. "He said that Louie could come here and…and he could enjoy a bit of a real family for a few days."

"DCFS was okay with that?" Nancy inquired.

"They know the situation but of course they want us to…think about adopting seriously and we both talked about it and…"

"And I think that would be a wonderful idea," Nancy interjected in haste which prompted both Matt and Gabby to look at her in shock. "Well…the more the merrier right?" She concluded with a smile and shrug.

"Well…he's 4 and needs help with reading and getting him ready for school and…and we hadn't talked about that," Gabby replied with a small frown as Matt's lips pursed as he looked at his mother in wonder.

"What does that mean daddy?"

"It means that he would come here for a few days. Is that okay? He'd stay here just for a few days. Like when George stays over."

"What about George?"

"No he'll stay with Kelly and Erin," Matt explained as his daughter's gaze fixed on him. "It'll be like having a little brother around. But one that has been through some pretty tough stuff."

"Is this boy…"

"Gabby's brother is checking out any angles but so far…everything is okay. His mother is dead and they suspect the father is also," Matt explained. "But if you can't…mom you'll be looking after him on our days off. If you think it'll be too much, just say so and things will remain as is."

"I can see the determination in your eyes and that you have already talked it over."

"We have," Matt replied in truth as Gabby nodded in agreement.

"It was my idea but I wanted to make sure that Matt agreed. It's just to give him a bit of love and stability before his next and hopefully final placement."

"What happened to this one?"

"Died in a fire," Matt replied without offering other details.

"Oh dear…"

"Think it over and then let us know," Matt said as he looked at his daughter. "Caitlin, would you be okay with Louie coming here for a few days?"

"Sure. Does he like to play games?"

"I'm sure he would," Matt told her in truth as she offered him a sweet smile.

"When does this happen?"

"Well…if you agree we can pick him up tomorrow and then bring him here and see how it goes," Gabby informed them.

"Breaks my heart to hear about orphaned children and if they are okay with it and you two are okay with it then…we'll be okay with it," Nancy assured him as Caitlin looked at her father and nodded in agreement. "Pick him up today if you want."

"Okay," Matt smiled at his mother as he looked down at Gabby who looked up with a loving smile in return. "Kelly said he'd bring George by also. Might help Louie feel a bit more at home around other kids."

"Great idea. I'll get started on a lasagna."

"YUM!" Caitlin exclaimed eagerly as she hopped off the stairs and hurried back down to the hole she had been digging at earlier.

"That was…easy," Gabby stated as Matt moved down one step to sit beside her.

"Think we need a bit of easy these days," Matt offered as Gabby leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. His arm automatically enveloped her as he kissed her on the top of her head and held her close. "Think Antonio will find anything else?"

"I hope not. I want Louie to have some peace now…that sweet boy has been through so much," Gabby huffed as she looked at Caitlin with a loving smile. "I love Caitlin. I hope this will be okay for her."

"Well she tolerates George and he's a Severide," Matt lightly chuckled. "Well…if she's making dinner for everyone, why don't we go and pick up Louie and then I'll call Kelly and we'll come back here and just see how he settles in and how everyone else accepts him. We can all still go to the park tomorrow."

"Think that's a great idea," Gabby agreed with a smile as she stood up and then went inside to talk to Nancy. Matt went to talk to his daughter and then the two of them left the house and headed back toward his truck and away from their home.

"Kelly's in," Matt informed her after his phone call to his friend. "He and Erin will bring George by in a few hours after they do a few things."

"Sounds good."

"Gabby…"

"Just thinking about what your mom said about me living there already."

"You'll move in when you're ready."

"Yeah but I just don't want it to be Matt and Gabby who also has her own place…" her voice trailed off as he looked at her with a small frown. "I better set that date huh," she commented with a smile as he offered her a playful nod.

As they neared the DCFS office Matt glanced in his rear view mirror, glanced away and then instantly back at the same place. _Did I just see…_ his mind tried to ask as he searched his brain for when he might have seen the green sedan. _The fire…you went back for the blanket…without Gabby…you thought you saw a green sedan outside but thought nothing of it…but now…_

"Matt?" Gabby's words broke into his thoughts. "You okay? Having second thoughts?"

The image from the rear view mirror was gone and he told himself that it was just his own personal paranoia and that if there was any kind of worry, Antonio would have told them.

"No," he answered with a somewhat tense smile. "Everything is good. Let's go get our boy."

* * *

 **A/N:** Yeah so I want our couple to face this new task together b/c they'll need that bond for when things start to really change for them. So how will Louie's first night go in his new surroundings? How will Caitlin react and will Matt sense the danger before its too late? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!


	6. A New Family Officially Starts

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 6 – A New Family Officially Starts**

 **A/N:** Sorry no update last week everyone but a dear friend suddenly passed and I was left reeling with a bit of horrible emotional aftermath (which will take time to go away-ugh). So I am hoping to keep up regular updates but please forgive in advance if I do miss a week. So hope everyone enjoys this update!

* * *

"Hey Louie…" Gabby greeted as she entered his room and then over to his bed as he looked up at her with an instant smile. "Can I sit down?" She asked and then did so when he looked up and nodded. "Oh I love Lego," she stated as she picked up the two large blocks and put them together. Louie looked up with a small smile that made her heart melt. "So Louie…do you want to come to my place tonight? Sta…" she started and then stopped as her lips pursed when she thought about the words… _my place…_ we need to get married…but elope? That's so…would Matt go for it?

Her eyes rested on a small pamphlet that instantly caught her attention… _how to adopt…_ and she reached for it. She let her dark eyes scan the list of desirable conditions and the one that stood out the most was a stable, loving home/family environment. _This would also apply to Caitlin…you need to get married before you adopt Caitlin…being married will help expedite the adoption process._

"Hey there he is."

Matt's words instantly snapped her back to reality and she looked up and watched as her fiancé approached with a loving smile. "How is he?"

"He's building a new home."

"Home," Louie repeated as he looked up at Gabby and her heart once again melted.

"So Louie…did Gabby tell you that you're going to come and stay with us?"

"I got distracted," she mentioned with a small frown as Matt looked at her in wonder. But just before she could offer another word, her phone buzzed and she was quick to check the message. "Stella…oh right…Molly's is having the 100th year anniversary. I promised her and Herrmann we'd be there."

"Well we'll take him on the way home. We just have to lend some support only right?" Matt inquired as Gabby nodded in agreement.

"Yeah an hour…maybe half hour," she shrugged as Louie handed her another Lego block and then another one. "Can we take these or…" her voice trailed off as she locked the two blocks together and then handed them back to Gabby who absently played with them.

"Is Walmart on the way home?" Matt pondered weakly as she offered him a nod. "Alright…come on Louie," Matt hoisted him up into the air. Louie at first fussed but when he saw Gabby get up and stand beside Matt and then give his little hand a supportive squeeze.

"You're going to meet Caitlin and George tonight," Matt told Louie as they exited the room and then headed for Agent Kantrell who was near the desk.

"I know your situation but if you do want to think of adopting and I know you're getting married so that'll always be the biggest boon on the adoption list so I've included some information in that also. Just need you to sign here and…" her voice trailed off as Matt, who after he transferred Louie to Gabby's open grasp, signed the forms and then the three of them traded knowing smiles.

"Alright…let's go."

XXXXXXXX

"Hey you guys made…it," Brett's voice trailed off as she greeted Gabby and then watched Matt enter with Louie in his grasp.

"We're going to house Louie for a few days and then…"

"Dawson…" Brett started.

"I know…" she paused as Matt pulled away to head to see Kelly and Erin; George already at his place with his mom Nancy and daughter Caitlin. "DCFS of course wants us to adopt and I want to adopt Caitlin but Matt and I need to be married first and now I'm just…the thought of being with his family and then going home alone and coming back each day is just…" her voice trailed off as Herrmann stood up on a bar stood to address the rather large crowd gathered into the quaint bar.

Gabby made her way over to Matt and took a seat beside him as Herrmann started his speech about the history of Molly's and those that gathered inside that he called family. But it was the constant talk of family that forced both of them to realize that they didn't want to or need to wait for a formal ceremony to make official the love they both felt for each other and their family. They just wanted to do it.

And that's what they did…a look was as good as a verbal request and both of them just knew what they wanted to do in that moment – make it official. Love was the biggest motivator and Gabby would tell anyone that it was first and foremost love for Matt and then love for his daughter and the fact that she wanted to legally adopt her. Their eyes locked, smiles grew and within seconds they were both up and headed for the door with Louie still in Matt's grasp.

Brett looked up and her brain raced back in time to her earlier conversation with Gabby and how it was just them not being married that was holding up a few things and she knew where they were headed. "Kelly, Antonio!" She exclaimed suddenly as both men looked at her in wonder. "We all have to leave now."

"Why? What's going on?" Kelly asked in shock as Erin's brow furrowed.

"Everything okay?" Erin instantly wondered.

"I want in on this!" Shay added in haste.

XXXXXXXX

As they neared city hall, both Matt and Gabby felt their hearts start to pick up the pace as they neared the official of the marrying official that would make their bond legal.

"Are you sure about this?" The acting JP of the day asked Matt and Gabby as they stood before him with Louie between them.

Both of them traded smiles but Matt's grew even bigger when Gabby added, "never been more sure of anything in my life."

"Okay then it would be my pleasure to make this official," the JP said proudly. "Do you have any witnesses?"

"Oh, we just kinda went on a spur of the moment," Gabby lightly stammered as she looked at Matt who nodded in agreement. But before them or the city official could say another word, the door to the small court room busted open and a familiar face appeared – Brett's.

"Hey…" Brett stated happily. "Did you think you could do this without your firehouse family?"

Both Matt and Gabby watched with growing smiles as Antonio first appeared after Brett and then one by one everyone from each team at 51 appeared with wide and approving smiles and then formed a protective circle around them. Brett gave Gabby a hug while Antonio marched up to Matt and shook his hand. "Welcome to the family," he added with a proud smile before he hugged his sister.

"Well…looks like you have your witnesses," the JP started with a smile. "Now…let's get you two married," he added as Brett picked up Louie and the rest stood in expectancy.

Matt and Gabby faced each other and held hands and looked only at the other person before them – their friends and even the JPs words seemed to fade into the background for the moment. Their heart raced at top speed but in that moment, there was no hesitation, no regret…no second guessing if this was the right thing to do. It was. He loved her more than he could say in that moment and couldn't wait for her to be part of his life and family and she loved him more than she could have thought it possible to love someone each of them sure of the fact that from that day forward that love would only continue to grow.

"Do you Matt Casey, take…"

"I do."

"And do you Gabriela Dawson take…"

"I do."

A few more words and then the JP announced them as husband and wife before the happy group of friends. The sounds that followed were a chorus of happy cheers and exuberant smiles. Gabby leaned in for a kiss as she placed both hands on either side of Matt's face but he held her close as he dipped her down for a few seconds; Boden's offering a happy cheer with his arms in the air as they looked up from their blissful moment with happy smiles.

Their family from 51 rushed toward them with additional hugs and well wishes, Louie just watching with rapt fascination.

The first step was over…but there were many more that were going to follow. And the second was to go home and tell Matt's mother and daughter what just happened.

XXXXXXXX

"Matthew? Gabriela? Is that you? Did you see Kelly and Erin a…" Nancy started as Matt and Gabby walked into Matt's home, now _their_ home hand in hand with big smiles on both faces and Louie in Matt's arms. "What did…" she started once more and then stopped when she looked at the rings on their fingers.

"We got married," Matt mentioned as Caitlin rushed up to them.

"What?"

"Spur of the moment," Gabby confessed as Nancy's smile instantly grew.

"Is this Louie?" Caitlin asked as Matt slowly lowered Louie down to the floor. He looked at Caitlin and then quickly ducked behind Matt's legs and peered out at her once more. Matt was just about to say something more when George came bounding into the room and Louie ducked behind Matt's legs once more.

"He's shy," Gabby mentioned as she knelt down to the kids while Matt pulled away and headed for his mom.

"Sorry we just…"

"I'm not mad, I'm thrilled that Gabriela will be here on a permanent basis," Nancy smiled as she gave her son a hug and kiss. "It's wonderful!"

"Caitlin, George…this is Louie and he's going to be here with us for a while."

"Why?" George asked as Gabby's lips pursed.

"Can we play outside?" Caitlin asked at her father's suggestion.

"Sure I think…" Matt started as there was a knock at the door. George rushed to open it, much to everyone's amusement but when they heard Shay's voice, they were relieved.

"I didn't have time to buy a wedding gift so I brought booze," Shay declared as she entered with a big smile. "You two gave Kelly and Erin ideas," she laughed as she hugged Gabby and then looked down at Louie. "You must be Louie."

Louie looked up but stayed closed to Gabby, not wanting to move.

"Take the kids outside, I can help in here," Matt suggested as Gabby looked up with a grateful smile.

"Come on Louie," Gabby hoisted him into the air and then carried him outside as Shay ushered Caitlin and George into the backyard.

Matt watched them in the backyard and then felt his mother's hand on his back and looked at her with a small smile. "Think Caitlin was mad we had no wedding?" He asked somewhat absently as Nancy looked at her son in wonder.

"Neither of us are mad. We want her here and I don't blame her for not wanting to just come and go on a casual basis and I know you like things…official."

"Too old fashioned?"

"You're a father Matt and you have a daughter. You want a mother here for her. Not just her dad and some woman that visits now and again and stays the night but hasn't made it official. I think you both made the right decision and the fact she wants to be here as much as you says everything," Nancy assured him with a kiss to his cheek. "I think you made the best decision and you can always have a party here if you want or at some dance hall. Now you have time to plan if you both want that."

Matt smiled at his mother's suggestion and then looked back outside at his family and felt his heart warm even more. Now he just had to worry about how Caitlin would be okay with Louie living with them for even a few days.

XXXXXXXX

"I worried about this…" Gabby whispered to Shay as Louie sat and watched Caitlin and George play but didn't interact.

"Well he is a bit younger than them but it's his first time here," Shay mentioned as they heard Kelly and Erin's voice in the background.

"Hey…congrats!" Erin smiled as she hugged Gabby once more. "How are things going?"

"Louie at first didn't want to play but now…" she paused as she watched the three of them spin in a circle and then all fall down Caitlin and George laugh and then Louie being quiet at first and then laughing. "I think he's okay now. He's used to being around other kids in the center."

"Hate those awful places," Shay quipped as Louie came up to them.

"Hey Louie," Gabby smiled as she positioned him on the step, between her and Shay. "Tired of playing with the other two goofballs?"

He nodded his head and then pointed to Caitlin and George who were contented to run in circles again and then purposely fall to the ground laughing.

"Yup…two goofballs," Shay agreed as she hopped off the stairs and hurried toward them and started to run in a circle, Erin joining her and soon the four of them were on the ground laughing.

Gabby held Louie close and delighted in the feeling of his little warm frame as it snuggled up to her but knew the longer he was with them the further her heart would fall into an emotional chasm for which she feared no return. _Adopt?_

"Hey man…what's going on?" Kelly asked Matt as he neared him on the corner of the deck as they watched the three women and the three children as they played in the back yard.

"Why? You mean the wedding at city hall? We just thought…"

"No, I think that's great. Erin said we should do the same," Kelly snickered as he leaned against the wall and looked at his friend. "No you seem…off…"

"When we went to pick up Louie I thought I saw the same car on the other side of the street and the other day I thought I saw a guy watching the Firehouse from across the street…I think I'm just feeding off Gabby's paranoia or Antonio's," Matt explained with a small shrug. But as he turned his gaze to Caitlin and Louie he couldn't help but smile; it grew even bigger when they rested on Gabby as his _wife. Wife…_ I like the sound of that, his mind inwardly gushed.

"Dinner's ready," Nancy told them as Matt called everyone in from outside. They all assembled around the dinner table, Louie right beside Gabby. Naturally they expected him to have his moments of quiet and no one wanted to force the young boy to eat if he didn't want to; especially being in such a new place. The conversation was also kept to the day's events – the surprise wedding and how Shay urged Kelly and Erin to do the same and just become a family already.

"Where's Louie daddy?" Caitlin asked Matt later that night as he tucked his daughter into bed and then knelt down beside it.

"He's going to stay in the spare room where George sometimes sleeps. Was it okay having him here today?"

"Sure. He didn't play much."

"Yeah it's all a bit new for him after having just lost his home and family."

"He seems sad daddy."

"He is sweetheart but maybe we can all cheer him up okay? Think he'll like coming to the park tomorrow with us and George's family?"

"Yeah."

"Yeah me too," Matt smiled as he kissed her on the forehead and then turned off the light. "Night lovebug."

"Night daddy."

Matt slowly wandered down the hallway and peered into the small spare bedroom where George usually slept when he spent the night.

"Did you have fun today?" Gabby asked Louie after he had changed into his pajamas and was now lying in the small and strange bed. He gave her a nod but remained still as she tucked in the blankets around him and then kissed him on the cheek. "You'll have fun at the park tomorrow. I promise. If you need me I'm right down the hall okay? Goodnight sweet boy."

She left the small night light on and then turned and headed toward her _husband_ as he stood in the doorway and watched.

"I think he'll be okay," Gabby told him as her hand rested on his chest and she looked up with a small smile. "Just now I looked up and saw my… _husband_."

"Husband," Matt smiled. "Like the sound of that."

"Me too."

He draped his arm around her as they left the room and slowly headed down the hallway toward the main bedroom – once his, now _theirs._ "You know…tonight is our wedding night," Matt whispered with a grin as he flipped off the hallway light and closed the door half way.

"That's right it is…Mr. Casey," she looked up with a loving smile as his fingers started to slowly pull her top away from the waistband of her pants.

"Well…Mrs. Casey…how about we make that official?" He flirted as he hoisted her up into his arms and crushed her lips with a warm kiss – the first of many of the night to come.

* * *

 **A/N:** So I LOVED their spur of the moment wedding and wanted to keep the essence of that but in this setting and hope you all liked it just as much. And I know no cliffy (faints of shock lol) but don't worry we'll get back to the angsty tension and danger just a head but figured our couple needed at least a few hours of happiness and hope that's okay. Please do review before you go b/c they give me muchly needed smiles.


	7. Trying to Adjust

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 7 – Trying to Adjust**

* * *

"Love this…" Gabby whispered as she lay in Matt's arms about an hour later, the two of them still awake; too excited from the day's events to fall into darkness.

"Me too," Matt whispered in return as his lips nuzzled her ear which sent small shivers down the entire length of her naked body under the covers. "I think that no…"

"Matt!"

"Yeah I heard that," he interjected quickly after they both heard a noise coming from the kitchen or that area. Matt quickly grabbed his robe while Gabby scrambled to find something to put on. Matt hurried into the hallway, his mind now wondering if it was the guy he _thought_ he saw watching him at the firehouse. He heard Gabby's bare feet behind him but she stopped as soon as they heard Caitlin making a fuss.

"I'll stay with her," Gabby told Matt who nodded and then continued on. "Check on Louie."

Matt reached Louie's room and then stopped and looked back at Gabby with a frown. "Empty."

"What?"

Matt hurried into the kitchen and flipped on the light only to see Louie standing by the kitchen table; the kitchen having a small light on so he wasn't in total darkness. "Hey buddy…what's going on?" Matt asked in haste as he scooped the little boy up in his arms as Gabby entered with a worried look.

"I told Caitlin it was Louie and it was okay. Is he okay?" Gabby asked as she patted Louie on the back.

"Think so," Matt replied as he repositioned Louie on his hip and then watched as Louie looked up at him with a frown before he pointed to the fridge. "Think he's used to just walking around at the center at night."

"Course they'd have staff up 24 hours," Gabby pondered as she slowly walked with Matt over to the fridge and pulled it open.

"Juice," Louie commented as he pointed to a bundle of drinking boxes within arm's reach.

"Sure…oh…I'm not…" Gabby started and then stopped as she looked at Matt who hesitated with letting Louie have the drink box.

"I don't let Caitlin have something right before bed or she'll be up," Matt explained as he gently bounced Louie on his hip. "But I don't know what he's used to."

"Too late to call Kantrell," Gabby huffed. "What do we do?"

"Louie, do you want something to drink? Are you allowed them at the center?" Matt asked softly as Louie nodded.

"Course….they have 24 hour staff."

"That…they do," Matt replied as he pulled out a small cup and then squeezed a bit into it while Gabby watched from a few feet away. "What?"

"Just watching you…with him…and it's just…" she paused as Matt looked at her in wonder.

"Just what?" He prodded.

"Just like watching…my _husband_ ," she gently gushed as his grin instantly widened.

"All done," Louie commented as he handed Matt the cup.

"Okay…Louie so that's it for tonight okay?" Matt told the young boy whose brow gently furrowed but then he slowly nodded in agreement. "Okay…good boy," Matt whispered as he kissed his soft cheek and then carried him back to bed. "And if we all sleep through the night we'll go to the park tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay."

As Matt went to tuck Louie back into bed, Gabby headed for Caitlin's room to see her still awake. "Is Louie okay?" Caitlin asked as Gabby knelt down beside her bed.

"Yeah sweetie he is. He's just used to the center where they have staff up all night so he can just…wander around. If he ever comes into your room or you hear him, you come and wake us up okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay," Gabby whispered as she kissed Caitlin's forehead and then pulled back with a smile. "Goodnight."

She left the small room and then wandered back into the main bedroom and slumped down onto the bed beside Matt and looked at him with a small smile. "Wedding night part 2?" She giggled as he couldn't help but smile and lean into her.

"Like the sound of that."

XXXXXXXX

"Wha…"

"Did you hear…"

"What time is it…"

"Tooo early…"

Both Matt and Gabby looked at each other and then at the clock and simultaneously groaned at what time they were awoken by sounds coming from the living room.

"Kids…" she muttered and slumped back down into the warm nest of covers. "That sounds strange."

"What?"

"Kids…just came off so…naturally," Gabby looked over at her husband smiled; her fingers playfully mussing his hair.

"Should I wear it like that to work tomorrow?"

"Rebel Casey," she teased as he leaned in closer for a kiss. But as soon as they heard something break both looked at each other and knew their early romantic interlude would be put on hold probably until evening. "I'll get this one," she mentioned as she quickly pulled on her long sleep shirt and hurried into the hallway. She rounded the corner into the living room and looked at Louie and Caitlin in the middle of the living room floor with a busted little vase a few feet away.

"Louie did it," Caitlin blurted out as Louie looked up with tear stained eyes.

"Okay…keep away from the glass. Did either of you get cut?"

"No," Caitlin replied as she pulled Louie away from the area.

"How did this happen?"

Louie just looked at her in terror while Caitlin tried to explain that they were trying to pull out the toy box when they bumped the shelf and the vase tumbled down.

"Everyone okay?" Matt asked as he rushed in to see his daughter and Louie off to the right while Gabby cleaned the area on the left.

"Vase broke and Caitlin said neither got cut."

"Sorry daddy. The toy box was stuck."

"Yeah think Uncle Kelly pushed it under the couch too far."

"Bad uncle Kelly," Caitlin gently laughed as Louie remained silent and sad. "It's okay Louie, daddy isn't mad."

"Not mad," Matt tried to assure Louie who pulled away and went quickly to Gabby and grabbed her around the legs.

"Hey there…we're not mad," she tried to assure him as she kissed the top of his head and looked at Matt with a small frown.

"We knew there would be adjustments. But since we're all up…Caitlin do you want to have a quick shower? Then we'll get some breakfast and get to the park."

"Okay. Can I wear the pink shower cap?"

"Course," Matt smiled and shrugged as Gabby laughed. "I don't get the fascination a girl has with those things."

"And some men."

"Touche," Matt laughed.

"Well we don't want to spend all our time drying our hair," Gabby drawled as Caitlin nodded and then hurried toward the bathroom and out of sight.

"Ah," Matt smiled as he took Louie by the hand. "Come on buddy…time to get ready for the park. After we clean this up."

Louie's face instantly brightened at the mention of the word park and started to pick up some of the toys around him and then held them up to Matt.

"I'll get dressed and then start breakfast."

"Okay."

Matt helped Louie finish with the rest of the toys and after that placed it under the small table and then guided him toward the kitchen to help him until Gabby was ready and then she could be with him until they were ready to go.

"Alright…I can take over," Gabby mentioned as she entered the kitchen, once again neither of them realizing that Louie had gotten away on them. "I just c…" she started and then stopped when they both heard a scream from the bathroom and hurried to see Louie rush out with a troubled expression.

"I usually leave the door open a bit in case she slipped or something and I had to help her," Matt explained as Gabby hoisted Louie up onto her hip. "You can't go in there when girls are in there," Matt said and then stopped as his gave his head a shake.

"Louie when you hear someone in the shower you can't go in, okay?" Gabby tried next as they both exchanged worried glances.

"Caitlin's going to be nine soon...she'll probably be okay with the door closed."

"Okay," Gabby nodded as she handed Louie to Matt and went to check on Caitlin.

"He didn't knock," Caitlin moaned as her head popped out from behind the shower curtain and looked at Gabby in distress.

"I'm sorry sweetie. Did he see…anything?"

"Not really…think I freaked him out too."

"Okay your dad says you can close the door now if you want. At least until Louie gets used to things here."

"Okay."

"I'll just close it this time and you finish up."

Caitlin ducked back into the shower to finish up as Gabby straightened back up and then headed back into the hallway with a heavy sigh.

"She okay?" Matt asked Gabby as she entered the kitchen were Louie sat at the table with a coloring book and crayons.

"Yeah. I know it wasn't with ill intent but just scared her. She'll be okay. Think he'll understand some ground rules?" Gabby asked Matt in a low tone as both looked at Louie as he sat at the table and colored.

"We just have to keep trying," Matt said as Gabby just looked at Louie in silence. "Hey…we can do this."

She offered him a somewhat tense smile as they all heard Caitlin exit the bathroom and then her bedroom door close.

"Come on…let's make breakfast and then get to the park."

XXXXXXXXX

"George!" Caitlin exclaimed as she pulled away from Matt, Gabby and Louie and rushed toward her friend, who then joined her as they rushed toward the large playground conglomeration.

"You can go with them," Gabby said as she put Louie on the ground and urged him to go with the other kids.

"How was last night?" Erin inquires as her and Gabby pull away from Matt and Kelly with Louie and head toward George and Caitlin.

"It was….started out great. Husband and wife…" she smiled as Erin looked at her with a wide grin. "When's your turn?"

"Trust me Kelly has city hall lined up. For George's sake and I think for his…to be honest…don't tell Matt because Kelly wants it to be as spontaneous but he'd booked next weekend," Erin laughed as Louie finally broke free and headed toward George and Caitlin. "I can't wait…to be a real family. It's what we both want."

"Double party the following weekend?"

"Deal," Erin agreed as her and Gabby locked pinkies and nodded at once.

"Alright…let's go see what the kids are up to."

The two of them pushed themselves up off the nearby bench and headed toward the first large twisted maze of colored iron bars.

"Come on Louie! Climb the stairs!" Caitlin called out as her and George stood at the top of the small slide stand.

"He's a scardy cat!" A child who looked about 12 called out and laughed at Louie as Gabby's brow instantly crossed.

"Shut up!" George shouted down at the other boy as Erin readied herself to intervene but looked at Shay who said at the same time, "Kelly's kid."

"Leave him alone! Come up!"

"Maybe he needs his mommy!" Another kid chimed in.

"He's black…he's got no mommy around here!"

"That's enough!" Gabby growled as she stomped toward the boys who looked at her and laughed before they turned and ran in the opposite direction.

"Better run!" Shay called out as she looked back at Gabby and Erin with a heavy frown. "Punks. Can't you arrest them," she huffed as Erin offered her a sympathetic glance as Gabby hoisted Louie up into her grasp.

"Hate that kids can be so mean from an early age," Erin mentioned as Caitlin and George slid down the slide and came up to them.

"Is he okay?"

"Yeah he'll be fine," Gabby replied as she looked at Louie in concern. "Come on…let's go to the swings."

XXXXXXXX

"No I think it's a great idea," Matt smiled as he and Kelly talked casually before the childish altercation. "Why wait right?"

"My thinking exactly. Think it'll be a good surprise?"

"Just tell us when to show up," Matt winked as he patted his friend on the back. "And don't for…" he started only to look past his friend and see the same man he had seen at DCFS and the Firehouse. "Kelly…what the…"

"Yeah what's…" he started as he turned and followed his friend's gaze to see the stranger quickly turn and bolt away. "Who's that? Matt?"

"I think he's the one who…"

"Why's he runn…"

"Get him!" Matt shouted as he ran after the guy without thinking of the consequences.

"Why? Matt!" Kelly shouted as he ran after his friend. "Wait! Matt!"

Gabby heard Kelly shout and looked up just in time to see her husband's body connect with a dark truck and her heart stopped short for a few seconds as she watched him slam backward onto the ground and remain motionless. "MATT!"

* * *

 **A/N:** eeks! Hehe so had to get some smexy dawsey in there for you all and some family moments and hope you all liked them but yikes…will Matt be okay? And what exactly do they want from him? And who could also be in danger? Please do review before you go and thanks so much!


	8. Trouble is Brewing

**Title: Family Ties  
** **Chapter 8 – Trouble is Brewing**

* * *

"Shay! Watch them!" Gabby shouted as she pushed herself up from the kids and raced toward Matt and Kelly; Erin in tow. "Oh God…please…God…" she begged as she looked at Matt on the road, Kelly beside him and the truck long gone.

Erin pulled her phone as she ran and called it in, nearing Kelly and asking for a plate if he happened to get it.

"Matt!" Gabby shouted as she neared and then dropped to her knees on the other side of him. "Matt! Baby…" she stammered as she instantly felt for a pulse as Kelly started chest compressions. "No…what happened!" She demanded angrily as Kelly looked up with a frown.

"Matt saw some guy…ran after him and then…he got into a truck and gunned it."

"Come on Matt!" She urged as she leaned in and breathed warm air into his cooling lips. "Matt! Come on! You can't leave us…not like this…not like this!" She pleaded as Shay neared them with the three children at her side. She left the kids in Erin's care and then hurried to take over for Kelly who had to now keep lookout as Matt was lying unconscious in the middle of the road. Gabby's fingers tenderly reached behind Matt's head to feel for blood or worse…thankfully only a small smattering came away from a little cut that he sustained on impact. Even still…him not coming back to them so readily was troubling.

"Ambo is here!" Kelly called out as Gabby continued to hover over her husband's unmoving body. "Gabby!"

"Come on Matt! Wake up!"

"Gabby!"

"He has to wake up!" She shouted as Erin held Caitlin back from rushing toward her father.

"They'll take it from here," Shay directed as she gently tugged Gabby back. But Gabby merely jerked her arm free and hurried to help; her mind and heart racing that she finally found personal happiness but now had to helplessly watch it slip away.

"Come on baby…" she whispered as Kelly raced to get his car.

"We'll meet you there."

"I wanna go with daddy and Gabby!" Caitlin protested when Shay tried to get her to go to the other car.

"We're gonna go right now but we gotta bring Louie also. Come on…if we hurry we can get there at the same time."

"We'll see you there," Erin told her as her and George hurried toward Kelly's waiting car.

Gabby sat miserably beside Matt's stretcher and tried to hold back from telling the other medic what to do but in this case both her mind and heart were involved and that was hard. She stared at the band of gold on his left hand and felt a small measure of loving pride swell within her at the thought that he was hers. But now…as she watched him fighting to come back to her, darkness wanted to enter the picture and she was afraid that what had started out as a happy family day would end in tragedy.

"Okay…we got a faint pulse back…"

Gabby nodded as she tried to swallow back fluid emotion, her hand still clutched to his tightly and her eyes fixated on his pale complexion. _Come on Matt…don't you dare leave me now…you better be okay!_ Once they reached med, she could only stand back in misery once more as he was rushed from the back of the ambulance and into one of the rooms where Dr. Choi rushed in with a team to help bring him back to her…to them.

"He'll be okay," Maggie Lockwood whispered as she gave Gabby's shoulders a squeeze and tried to sound reassuring.

"I'm just…one minute he's there and the next…" Gabby's voice trailed off into a contrite growl as she looked at Maggie and shook her head. "He has to be…we just got married."

"Oh I know it…word travels fast around here," Maggie smiled. "We're still waiting for the wedding celebration party invites."

Gabby couldn't help but offer her friend a smile and hoped and prayed inside that that would actually come true. A few minutes later, she looked up to see Shay with Louie in her arms and Caitlin at her side rush toward her; Kelly and Erin a few minutes after that.

"Where's daddy!"

"He's still with the doctor's sweetie," Gabby sighed as Shay looked at her with a small frown.

"He'll be fine…he's one tough SO…brave guy," Shay countered which brought a small smile to Gabby's face. "Gotta keep it respectable right?" She winked.

"Right."

Gabby watched as Fiona, a nurse at Med and Shay's current girlfriend neared them.

"Hey…" she greeted as she gave Shay a hug and then looked at Gabby in concern. "How's Matt?"

"I uh…I don't know. Kelly…"

"I don't know much more. He saw some guy. The guy bolted. Matt said get him and then…then he entered the street and…"

"Damn why the hel…" Gabby started in anger before she quickly calmed down – too many little faces looking up in wonder.

"You never saw him before?" Erin asked Kelly who shrugged and said no. "You?" She turned and asked Gabby.

"No and Matt never mentioned anyone. Did he mention anything before?"

"He said he thought…I don't know okay?"

"Said what…" Gabby pressed.

"Thought he saw a guy outside the house but…but there are creeps who hang around all the time...you know that. Looking for something they can steal or…he probably didn't want to worry you."

Gabby muttered something under her breath and then turned and looked at the closed curtain and tried to drown out the noise from those behind it.

"Is daddy going to be okay Gabby?" Caitlin looked up in wonder.

"Yeah sweetie he is…your daddy is a strong guy," she replied with a strained smile and then looked over at Louie. "You doing okay?" She asked as he reached out his arms to her. "Hey come here…everything will be okay. Dadd…Matt will be fine," she whispered as she kissed his cheek and then slumped down onto a nearby bench, Caitlin on one side, Louie on her lap and Shay on the other with George and Erin right beside her. _He hasta be okay…he just hasta be okay…._

Finally Dr. Ethan Choi and his team exit the curtain and she quickly stood up to greet them. "Matt sustained a mild concussion and we're just going to send him for a scan to make sure we didn't miss anything. He's pretty out of it right now but he'll pull through. Just got the wind knocked out of him pretty good. The place he fell on the road had a bit of a bump so it put a bit of extra pressure onto the lungs when he fell. Luckily the fall wasn't hard enough to break ribs but he'll have some nasty bruises and be sore for a few days while his back heals."

"Can we see him?"

"Once he comes back up from the scan. Hope you didn't have anything big planned for today."

"Family trip to the Park," Gabby huffed as Ethan offered her a small smile.

"Tomorrow."

"He's going to be okay," Gabby told them as she watched Dr. Choi take his leave and then turned back to Shay and the rest with a small, teary smile. _He's going to be okay…thank you God…he's going to be okay…course I might kill him…_ her mind caused her lips to gently smirk as Louie leaned back on her chest and Caitlin played a game on her phone. It seemed like a slow painful eternity before Matt was brought back up to a recovery room and Gabby was allowed to see him.

"Just wait here and I'll see if he's up yet," Gabby told Caitlin as she handed Louie to Shay and then hurried to see how her husband had fared. She pushed her way through the curtain and then felt her heart sink when Matt's somewhat sleepy gaze turned to her.

"Hit my…hard head…" he uttered as his brain tried to swim through the morphine to get some sensible words to his lips.

"What the hell were…" she started and stopped as she clutched his hand and then leaned in, kissed him on the cheek and then pressed her shoulder on his. "When I heard Kelly cry out…you can't leave us Matt…" she whispered as his free arm wrapped around her and held her close.

"Sorry…" he offered as she pulled back with a small frown.

"Kelly said you saw some guy who…who what? What's going on?"

"Would you buy…mistaken identity?" Matt asked as Gabby's dark brows arched. "Right…"

"What's going on?"

"First day I went back…to get Louie's blanket…thought I saw a guy watching the place but…but figured it was a hot spot for drugs so…so why would they care about me…" he stammered as his throat started to dry. "Then I thought I saw him at the…firehouse. Wasn't sure…but today…same guy," he huffed before he started to cough and she was quick to get him some water. "The truck…came out of nowhere…couldn't move fast enough."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Didn't want to worry you," he replied softly as he looked up with a defeated expression. "Fail right?"

"Yeah…worried now. Kids are okay."

"Don't tell them…tell Antonio. Not kids."

"No."

They both heard some shuffling and looked up to see Caitlin's face peer around the curtain in wonder.

"Hey baby girl…come in," Matt entreated as Caitlin came into the room with them, Louie still outside with Shay and the rest.

"Are you okay daddy?"

"I'm going to be just fine."

"What happened? Did a car hit you?"

"I didn't see it."

"You didn't look both ways."

"I didn't," Matt gently frowned. "I'm going to be okay. But…I guess we'll have to finish up our Park day another day okay?"

"Okay."

"Caitlin you stay and watch over your daddy for a bit here and I'll tell the others he's okay."

Gabby pushed her way back out and then headed toward the others with a small frown. "He'll be fine. We're just going to wait here until the scan results are back. Sorry the day is ruined."

"The jerk who ruined this day will be sorry…when Kelly finds him," Shay nodded confidently as she gave Gabby a hug and then looked at Kelly.

"You know…Erin's scarier."

"Thanks," Erin deadpanned as she too gave Gabby a hug and then watched as Kelly offered them a headshake and headed toward Matt's room to make sure his buddy was okay before he left.

"Just get married," Gabby whispered to Erin. "Life's too short to wait."

Erin looked at Kelly and then nodded and smiled. "Double party at Molly's?"

"Planner!" Shay exclaimed proudly.

George looked up from adult female to the next and then his mother and then back to see where his father was, which made all three of the ladies laugh.

"Call me later," Shay told Gabby as she pulled away; Kelly rejoining them a few minutes later.

"I'll call Antonio with what I saw," Kelly whispered as he leaned into Gabby for a hug. "Sorry it wasn't too much."

"Thanks."

She watched them leave and then felt her phone buzz and quickly pulled it to read a text from Boden and Herrmann; both of which she hastily replied to to let them know Matt was okay but might need the next few days to really rest up. "Yeah…he'll hate that," she gently grimaced as called her brother.

 _"How is he?"_

"He's…he's okay but it was too close. You said there was no heat on Louie."

 _"We don't know it's connected."_

"Matt said it was!" Gabby hissed before her tone instantly dropped. "Sorry…I just…Tonio I can't lose him. He said he'd call you later. Did you talk to Kelly?"

 _"Erin too. Got a few things but I suspect if the guy was that brazen the truck will be stolen. But don't worry we're on this."_

"Okay…let me know if I can do anything."

 _"Just keep your eyes open. Anything at all…let me know."_

"Okay," she agreed as she put her phone away and headed back toward Matt's room where Louie and Caitlin were now seated on a chair beside Matt.

"Kelly said to stop faking," Matt smirked as he tried to sit up.

"Shall I chain you down?" She lightly teased as she leaned in and gently pushed him back down.

"Sure," he smiled as she kissed his forehead. "I called Antonio," she whispered. "You'll call when we get home."

She pulled back and then slumped down into the other chair beside the two kids.

"When can we go home daddy?"

"Bored of the hospital already?" Matt asked.

"Yes," Caitlin answered frankly as Matt and Gabby traded amused smiles.

"Just a bit longer sweetie," Gabby told her as she leaned in closer to see what she was doing, Louie paying rapt attention to the game Caitlin was playing.

"Hey…" Dr. Choi's face appeared as he pushed his way into the room with the scan results in his hand. "Minor concussion with no other concerns."

"Hard head," Matt smirked as Gabby's brow furrowed. "Can we go?"

"Just don't fall asleep for the next few hours. If you develop a fever or feel sick…come right back."

"Thanks Doc."

"Okay…" Matt huffed as he slowly sat up and gently winced.

"Nice and slow and then we'll just go home and watch a movie or something."

"Beauty and the beast?"

"Sure."

Gabby hoisted Louie into her arms while Matt slowly got up and then took Caitlin by the hand and the four of them slowly started to leave the hospital. They offered a few waves to their friends and then headed for the parking lot. Gabby noticed Matt glance around and then caught his gaze and held it.

"It's okay," he tried to assure her as they neared his truck, which now had one car seat and one booster seat in the back; Gabby behind the wheel.

"You see anything…"

"On it," Matt told her as she started the engine. But even as he tried to sound like he wasn't worried inside he knew he was. He had seen things in the apartment that he didn't tell her but figured that CPD knew it was a drug drop they would have seen also. _Unless…unless these guys think I took something…but what? What…_

XXXXXXXX

 _"He's still alive! If you're going to do something do it right!"_

 _"He's a damn firefighter and has kids!"_

 _"I don't care! If he took the stuff he stole from us! Take them out…"_

* * *

 **A/N:** course I'd never kill or seriously hurt our hero Matt (b/c well ugh to perm injury!) but he's def on someone's list and that's not good! Will Antonio find them in time or will our little family face more danger yet? Please do review before you go and let me know your thoughts and thanks so much!


	9. Trying to Plan for the Future

**Title: Family Ties  
 **Chapter 9 – Trying to Plan for the Future****

* * *

 _'Them? Hey man I didn't sign up to take out some woman and kids! Just the guy who took the stuff!'_

 _'He might have shown her or whatever. He's a firefighter they don't make much. This could be some easy…'_

 _'That guy? No way!'_

 _'You're in this until I say so!'_

XXXXXXXX

"You okay?" Gabby asked Matt as they stood in the kitchen while Caitlin and Louie played in the living room with the TV on in the background.

"Yeah…fine," Matt replied with a tight lipped smile as she held his gaze until he felt his posture slightly loosen. "I told Antonio what I know but…"

"But what?" Gabby pressed.

"But I uh…" he paused as his brow furrowed and he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Headache?"

"Yeah…small one. I told Antonio that I think the guy might think I took something from the site where Louie was taken from…where the woman died," Matt explained in a low tone so the kids wouldn't hear.

"What did you see in there?"

"Nothing that you didn't see…some drug paraphernalia but I didn't see actual drugs."

"They leave something behind and watch the place until the cops or AI leaves and then…then you show up and take the blanket and they go in afterward and…"

"Whatever they were looking for is gone," Matt huffed and nodded as his brow furrowed heavily.

"So if it wasn't you then…it was either a cop or AI?"

"Or one of their own and it was gone before they came. Maybe that's why Louie's guardian was killed," he gently groaned as he looked at her seriously. "Either way…this guy has to be found before something more happens."

"Can't…face that again," Gabby whispered as she took his hand and clutched it firmly. "So did you know about Kelly and Erin's plan?"

"Their surprise wedding at city hall?" Matt retorted with a small smile as Gabby nodded. "Yeah….when are we supposed to show up?"

"2pm and Shay wants to plan a double wedding reception party at Molly's."

"Sure," Matt shrugged as Gabby wrapped her arms around his tender mid-section and held him close; his hand pressed against her back as he held her close and delighted in the warmth her body heated offered.

"Was scared today," she admitted as her head rested on his chest and her heart started to keep time with the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "Really scared."

"Yeah…me too. But when I saw him…my first thought was…stay away from my family. Didn't think about what…just didn't think."

Gabby looked up and rested her chin on Matt's chest as she leaned into him and he planted a soft kiss on her forehead and then pulled her close once more. "Love you."

"Love you so much," he offered in truth. "You're not losing me that fast."

"Come on…let's just go relax in the living room with the kids."

"Sounds good," Matt agreed as they left the kitchen and then headed into the living room. "So…about dinner?"

"Hungry already?"

"Well I never got lunch," Matt gently protested as she playfully tugged his bottom lip.

"We'll order in," Gabby told him as Louie picked up one of his books and then looked at them as he held it in the air.

"Want to read it big guy?"

"Yeah," Louie nodded as he climbed onto the sofa between them; Caitlin snugged in on Gabby's lap as Matt's chest was too tender to have any of the childish weight put upon it.

While the four of them sat on the couch and contentedly read the book, Matt's mind raced with horrible thoughts that something terrible would happen to him and Gabby would be left with both children, neither of whom were 'legally' hers. His mother could take Caitlin but even that he wasn't sure about with her past criminal record. And while he didn't want to mention it to Gabby right now, he made a mental note to talk to her about it as soon as possible. Since she had already said she wanted to, bringing it up shouldn't bring any conflict.

However, at the same time, Gabby's mind also had the same thought about Caitlin and now Louie. As she looked at the little boy who looked up at Matt with an adoring glance or the little girl whose sun revolved around her father, she knew she couldn't just leave their futures up on the air. But much like Matt's thought, it wasn't the right time and she knew that.

"Tired…"

"I know baby but you gotta stay away a few more hours," Gabby reminded him as she offered a look of sympathy. "Another movie or…" she started and then paused as a knock was heard at the door.

For a split second, Matt's agitation skyrocketed that the man that had tried to kill him had followed them home and now his family was in danger but he was too weak to do anything about it.

"Casey? Dawson?"

"Herrmann?" Gabby asked in haste as Matt's anxiety quickly sunk and she hurried to open the door. "Hey…" she greeted as she pulled the door open and looked at half the Herrmann clan.

"Cindy made some…stuff for you guys."

"Figured you wouldn't want to cook after what happened," Cindy offered Gabby a hug in sympathy as Gabby invited them in. "How is Matt?"

"Stubborn but he'll be okay," Gabby replied as the two youngest Herrmann children bolted past and rushed into the living room to play with Caitlin and Louie.

"Oh we're not staying…" Cindy stated as she tried to call her kids back.

"It's okay…Matt has to stay awake so this is a good distraction."

For the next few hours, them and the Herrmann clan hung out and bonded while the kids played and got to know each other better and the adults nibbled on the goodie that Cindy had brought them. Not once did they mention to the Herrmann's their suspicions about the case or the suspected reason behind Matt's accident – only that he didn't see the speeding driver.

XXXXXXXX

"So…was doing some thinking today…" Gabby mentioned as she lay in Matt's arms in their bed later that same night.

"Sounds dangerous," he quipped which earned him a small pinch to his side which made him laugh.

"I'm sure you have this worked out with your mom and all but uh…"

"We thought about it but with her past criminal history and a judge who might be biased in some way…Caitlin could become a ward of the state."

"I told you that I wanted to be married before I started the process so…so now that that's done…I can ask for the paperwork…anytime now," she assured him with a warm smile as she leaned in and kissed his lips. "But you're not going anywhere."

"No I'm not," he smiled at her warmly as he kissed her back and then pulled the covers up over them and turned out the light. But it wasn't long before Matt's mind showed him being hit by the truck and then his death and the children being taken away from Gabby and given to some stranger while his daughter called out to him to help her – which he couldn't.

"AHHHH!" Matt gasped as he bolted upright, his tense frame lightly clad in a fine dusting of sweat.

"Matt? What's…hey you okay?" Gabby asked in concern as her right hand rested on his back as his body gently shuddered.

"Night…mare…" he gasped as her left hand felt his forehead.

"You're hot."

"I know," he gently wagged his brows as she couldn't help but smile.

"I'll get you some cold water and a pain pill."

Matt lay back on his pillow and closed his eyes and tried to get his head to stop pounding and his heart rate to lower. And while he was delighted that Gabby was so on board to get the adoption process for his daughter started, he now worried that he wouldn't be around to see their bond fulfilled or his children grow up. _Children…_ Louie isn't your son…he's…

"Baby you okay?"

"Yeah…lost in thought," Matt confessed in truth as Gabby knelt beside him on the bed and then handed him the pill and small glass of water which he downed a few seconds later.

"Antonio is on it. He'll find out what their after. Drugs right?"

"Makes the most sense," Matt pondered as Gabby's fingers gently rested on his forehead to check his temperature. "Hot?"

"Mmm very," she wagged her brows which made him smile as she settled in beside him. "But not enough to panic. The kids are okay."

"I worry they somehow followed us here."

"Antonio said they have an unmarked outside just in case," Gabby reminded him as she snuggled down into the nest of covers beside her husband's taut frame.

"Park outing take two tomorrow?"

"Only if you stay away from streets and parked cars…or men in trucks…"

"Deal," Matt smiled as he turned off the light and held her close; his mind and heart instantly taking delight in the warmth her body once again offered his. "Love you."

"Love you back," Gabby whispered before darkness once again consumed them.

XXXXXXXX

"What'd you find?" Voight asked Antonio and Jay later that same night.

"Well Matt's hunch was right. Whoever is targeting them thinks he took a few kilo's."

"Who told you?"

"This guy named Frankie Dee. He was at Mary's the day before she was killed. He said he was in the john when he heard two guys come in and then found out they left 10 one pound kilo bags at her place as the drop. She was going to just hold the stuff for the buyer the next day."

"Buyer have a name?"

"Frankie didn't know but he said that Mary mentioned someone nicknamed Brooster who was going to pay off a few of her bills. He asked why and she said it was for some life advice."

"Life advice," Voight scoffed. "Did he say the amount?"

"A lot more than he's ever seen. He didn't know where the money came from but he said that the day Mary was killed he was on the phone with her when she put the phone down to answer the door and he heard two men…one sounded like the guy he heard the day before ask where the stuff was and then there was shouting and the gunshots," Antonio continued before Jay interjected.

"And then he overheard him say something about a few kilo's missing," Jay added. "So in between the time of the drop and the next day someone else must have been in there and removed a few or…"

"Or Mary herself used them or hid them or sold them and she paid the price but they think Matt took them. He walks out with a blanket and they think he's hidden something underneath it," Voight pondered as his two detectives nodded in agreement.

"We need the names of everyone who Mary had dealings with," Antonio suggested.

"We need the name of the guy after Matt and Gabby or whatever happened to the missing drugs might be moot!" Voight gently growled.

Voight looked at the concern on Antonio's face and knew he was worried for his sister and her family and in truth he was too. He knew the names of a few that had been associated with that drop point and knew they all had one thing in common – if they thought they were being double crossed they'd stop at nothing and take out anyone in their path. _Anyone._

* * *

 **A/N:** uh oh….yup the baddies are on the warpath now but had to get some sweet family moments in there for you all and hope you liked them. Would love your thoughts on this so please do review before you go and thanks so much!


	10. Racing Destiny

**Title: Family Ties  
 **Chapter 10 – Racing Destiny****

* * *

"Mmm feels good," Gabby purred the next morning as Matt's fingers playfully trailed over her warm mocha skin as they lingered in bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired…kept seeing that truck going after you and the kids…heard Caitlin calling out to me…me asking him why before it all fades to black."

"He has to think you took something when you removed the blanket," she pondered as she flipped onto her side and then started to make little circles on his bare chest just above the tensor bandages. "Glad nothing was permanently damaged."

"Yeah...me too. So park again…or too soon?"

"You know…before the accident there was these two boys picking on Louie at the playground."

"What? What happened?"

"George told them off," she smirked as Matt shrugged.

"Course he did…he's Kelly's kid…"

"And Shay's!" They both added with a laugh.

"But it's just so pathetic that kids that age can be so…so mean. Can't imagine the household they're being raised in. Those kinds of ideas…how they talked…was just so sad to see. Our kids were just minding their business."

"And then I kinda threw a wrench in things."

"Can I punish you for that," Gabby retorted with a playful nod as she gently pinched his chest and then moved her hand lower; Matt's lips instantly letting out a satisfied moan. But before anything further could ensue, they both heard the TV come to life in the living room and exchanged quizzical glances.

"Think Caitlin likes having someone around to watch cartoons with," Matt commented as Gabby looked at him in wonder. "I know…I know we agreed this would be only temporary but I think the longer he stays here…the more she'll just want him around."

"The more we'll get used to him being around and just…" she added as she rolled onto her back and gazed upward at the ceiling with a blank expression. "Still hate the thought of sending him back to that God-forsaken place. I mean I feel sorry for all the kids in there but…but it's a big deal I know that."

"One that would change things for good with mom being the one to look after Louie or put him into day care and then kindergarten and with Caitlin…I know she's okay with him here now because it's only temporary but…but long term? She'd have to be in all the way."

"Agreed."

"Okay so…should we get in there and see what the kids are up to?"

"I mean…since you're you know…out of commission right now," she playfully wagged his brows and blew him a kiss before she pulled out of reach, just about, but not before he was able to give her a playful pinch that made her squeal and his smile widen. "Payback."

"Promises, promises," he smirked in return as she disappeared from view. He lingered in bed a bit longer as his mind thought about Louie's future with them and he too just didn't want to think about sending the young boy back to the unloving holding center.

With that he pushed himself out of bed, got dressed to go the park once more and then headed into the living room to see what was going on. Only Louie wasn't there and Caitlin was in the kitchen with his wife. "Where's Louie?"

"He went to his room to put his blanket away," Caitlin told him as he nodded and then went in search of their young charge. He poked his head into the small spare room where Louie now stayed and looked at the little boy on the floor playing with his blocks.

"Hey buddy," Matt greeted warmly as Louie looked up with an instant and adoring smile. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah," Louie replied as Matt slowly eased himself down and watched as Louie tried to stack the blocks one on top of the other. But when they toppled over, Louie instantly looked up at Matt for help.

"Okay…watch this," Matt told him as he placed two blocks on the floor and then started to put the others on top until all were used up and the little tower stood straight. "Like that?"

"Yeah," Louie agreed with a smile as he knocked them over and then laughed.

"Alright…let's get you dressed for the park and go see m…" he paused as his brow instantly furrowed. _Mom? Gabby isn't his mom and you're not…_ "the girls in the kitchen."

Matt helped Louie get dressed in some jeans and a sweater and then headed into the kitchen to help Gabby and Caitlin with breakfast and then sat down to enjoy it. Matt looked at his family around the table and felt his heart swell with pride. Louie wasn't their blood but he was in their hearts and those roots would just continue to grow stronger with each passing minute. But at the same time he worried about the man out there who wanted to harm them. He could only hope CPD would find them before anything more happened.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay…think we caught a bit of a break here," Antonio walked up to Voight with a file in his grasp. "Homicide has been working a case from a few months back and the guy Matt described looks like this one," he paused as he opened the file and then handed the picture to Erin who put it on their case board. "Name is Vince Regent. He's had some minor priors but he's still in the wind."

"Who'd he kill?" Ruzek inquired as Antonio handed him the file and Voight looked over his shoulder.

"Any dealing with Mary…oh yeah right here. He was seen with her a few weeks before she died. The intel came in too late to homicide and when they went to pick him up at her place he was gone. She denied it until they showed her the photo but said he didn't leave any forwarding address. That was it."

"And now he's back," Voight mused.

"Probably figured Mary was an easy score if he knew her place was a drop zone," Erin added.

"And our guy Vince….he's been seen in the company of this man."

"Brooster?"

"Real name?"

"Working on it."

"Could be our missing killer," Voight stated. "Sounds like this guy Vince dipped into the wrong pockets."

"He might think Matt took the stuff but then our guy Brooster might think Vince did."

"And the Casey's are caught in the middle," Erin stated fatefully.

"We need to find both these guys before they turn this into a personal bloodbath," Voight huffed. "I want anything and I don't care if it's a bill for an overdue library book. Find me these two clowns now!"

XXXXXXXX

"Think I'll use my day off tomorrow to get some work done in the backyard," Matt commented as they sat on a Park bench later that same morning, while the kids played a few meters away in the play area.

"You know might be fun to carve out a little garden area for Caitlin," Gabby suggested. "She loves to play in the mud."

"Yeah not sure where she got that from," Matt replied with a smile as his hand held his wife's. "Mom will like that idea too. Give her something to do when we're all at school or work."

"And…Louie?"

"Well I think in the fall we can put him int…" Matt started and then stopped as he looked at Gabby in realization and then frowned and looked away. "I just assumed he'll be staying."

When he felt her hand squeeze his, he turned and looked at her with a small frown. "We both have to be on the same page when it co…" he started only to have her lean in and kiss him on the lips and then pull back and watch his smile grow.

"I want to adopt him if you do. We do both have to be in this together."

"Let's talk to mom tonight. I'm sure she'll say yes. In the fall he'll start Preschool and then after that kindergarten so she won't have to watch him all the time."

"I think that's a great idea. And I think it'll be important for Louie to be around other kids and really start to learn how to relate and interact with them."

"Sure and we'll continue to read to him at home and teach him the basics so he's not as behind as the others."

"And once Antonio gets rid of the threat…" Gabby passed and let her gaze look at the children while Matt's slowly wandered the visible landscape and then landed back on her.

"I agree. Tired of looking over our shoulders for some guy that has me mistaken for someone else," Matt huffed as her hand squeezed hers a bit harder.

"First thing tomorrow I'll stop by the DCSF office and tell Kantrell we'll be adopting Louie and to get the paperwork started. With him having no family and us married and having a stable home for him there should be no roadblocks."

"Like the sound of that."

A few seconds later both of them got up off the bench and then headed toward the swings to join the kids. About a half hour later, Shay and George showed up and then the merriment really escalated. After playing a bit longer, the six of them headed to the other end of the Park where a little diner awaited and then it was a fun lunch of greasy burgers and fries.

"So remember what this weekend is," Shay told Gabby as they walked back toward the parking area with their arms playfully looped through the others.

"Kelly and Erin's big day."

"Yes the surprise at City Hall," Shay laughed as Gabby arched her brows. "Okay fine to make it three in a row when it comes to my time, I'll also plan a surprise wedding."

"Perfect," Gabby nodded as she looked ahead to see Matt with Caitlin on his back and one boy hanging off each arm. "Never thought I could be this happy," she mused. "Just need Antonio to wrap up his stuff and we can finally get all the adoption stuff underway without any worries."

"Any update on that?"

"No. He just texted to tell me they had a lead and they were following up on it and that was it. Just hate the idea that Matt is being targeted for mistaken identity. Those guys must really be desperate."

"Well they did nearly burn a child alive right?" Shay countered.

"Right," Gabby agreed as they reached their car. "Alright you…" she gave her a hug and then pulled back with a smile.

"Alright you," Shay countered as George ran up to her. "Speaking of you…" she playfully pinched his nose as he laughed. "Okay, see you guys later."

"That…was a good day," Gabby commented as they all got into Matt's truck and got ready to head for home. "Can we make one stop before we get home? Want to pick up a few groceries for dinner."

"Sure."

XXXXXXXX

"Okay I think we caught a break with Vince!" Jay called out as he rushed up the stairs to the intelligence area. "Was able to check some footage from an apartment right across the street and we got a license plate for Vince. Car was stolen but we were able to check the GPS tracker."

"Wait…this car is a relic. The owner put in an aftermarket GPS? To protect what? His cassette tapes?" Atwater asked in sarcasm as Voight shot him a small smirk.

"Whatever the reason we tracked the GPS to where we think he might be staying."

"Great work! Let's go get him!" Voight called out as Mouse rushed up the stairs.

"Wait! The GSP that Halstead asked about earlier is on the move."

"Can you see where?"

"Yeah here…" he set up his laptop and then showed them the screen.

"Wait that's…" Antonio paused as he looked at the screen and then up in horror. "That's the area Matt and Gabby live."

"Then we better get to them first!"

XXXXXXXX

"Okay so…what kind of cereal should we get?" Gabby asked Caitlin as the two of them slowly walked hand in hand down the breakfast aisle; Matt and Louie outside in the truck.

"This one!" Caitlin exclaimed happily as she pulled a box off the shelf that was at eye level and handed it to Gabby with a wide grin.

Gabby looked at the overly sugary cereal and couldn't help but smirk and couldn't help but paused before she reached for a more sensible box and then showed it to Caitlin. "I think this one will be a bit more nutritious. But how about we buy a box of those colored Rice Krispies and make some yummy marshmallow squares?"

"YES!" Caitlin smiled broadly as Gabby couldn't help but giggle as she grabbed the box of cereal and tossed it into the cart as they pushed on for a few more items before they headed for the checkout and then started to bag the groceries up.

At the same time in the truck, Matt started to tell Louie about the different things on the dashboard and then ask him to repeat some of the words back; something the young boy had no trouble in doing with the smaller words.

"The others will come," Matt smiled as he looked at Louie with a tender glance. "I don't know if you'll understand this but Gabby and I want you to live with us permanently. Be your mom and dad. And Caitlin can be your sister. A family. Would you like that?"

"Yeah," Louie agreed although not really knowing what he had exactly agreed to.

"Good," Matt nodded as he watched Gabby and Caitlin exit the store and head toward them. "Got everything?"

"Gabby and I are gonna make crispy squares!" Caitlin told him excitedly as she got into the back of the truck beside Louie. Louie, however, just looked at her in wonder and had no reply to whatever it was she said.

"Got some stuff for a barbeque tonight. Love the grill," Gabby commented as Matt started up the truck and then slowly left the parking lot. "Next set of days off I'll move out all my stuff and oh right don't forget this weekend. Amazing that we all have Saturday off."

"Right…the surprise wedding," Matt chuckled as he glanced into the rear view mirror, a gesture not lost on his wife.

"What?"

"Nothing I thought..."

"What color did you say the truck was that hit you?"

"Dark green…"

"I don't see a truck," Gabby commented.

"I thought I saw the same guy…check the sedan a few back."

"Yeah it looks like the guy you described to…Matt!"

"I see it! Call your brother," Matt directed as he told himself to remain calm and try to head toward CPD.

"Tonio' it's me! That truck that hit Matt…"

 _"We know we're heading there now! Are you guys safe?"_

"We have the kids and Matt's gonna try to get to Precinct 21."

 _"Okay…be safe and no matter what, do not stop the truck!"_

Gabby looked at Matt in concern just before he glanced in the mirror and watched the car pull into the other adjacent lane and start to make its move."

 _"Two in the front seat! You take them out or else!"_

"Here they come!"

"What's going on daddy?"

"It's okay sweetie. We're just…" Matt started but was instantly interrupted by his wife's panicked warning.

"He has a gun!"

"EVERYONE DUCK!"

His heart started to race with the thought that his action of going back to get a blanket as a good will gesture will now cost him everything he loves more than anything.

 ***BANG* *BANG***

* * *

 **A/N:** EEEEEKS! You know my muse loves her evil cliffy's hehe will CPD get there in time? Or will Matt lose everything he loves – his family? Please review before you go and thanks so much!


	11. Taking back the Future!

**Title: Family Ties  
 **Chapter 11 – Taking back the Future!****

* * *

"EVERYONE DUCK DOWN!" Matt shouted as he heard the first few gunshots hit his truck with telltale 'pings' on the side of his truck near the back.

"Daddy! What's going on!" Caitlin exclaimed as she tried to pull Louie down a bit lower.

"Just keep low and make sure Louie is also!"

"Matt!"

"I know…where's CPD!"

 _"Gabby!"_

"He's firing at us!" She barked at her brother.

 _"We're almost there!"_

"It's not soon enough!" Matt shouted into the phone a few seconds later.

Matt swerved the truck to the right and Gabby's lips elicited a small scream as one of the bullets shattered the glass of one of the windows.

"Gabby! Who's…hurt?"

She frantically looked around then at him in dread as she noticed the back window had been pierced but the bullet had come from behind and then grazed his arm before it deposited itself into the dash that he was too distracted to see.

"Your arm…" she mentioned in a low tone as fresh droplets of crimson as he eyes dropped briefly to see the flesh wound and then back to the road.

"It's nothing."

Matt quickly veered to the right down another somewhat busy street and hoped that his pursuer would just give up the chase but that wasn't to be. "Damn these guys just don't quit!" Matt cursed in an undertone as he tried to turn down another street.

But this time he was blocked and forced to make a small detour to the left. However, that little bit of delay allowed his pursuer to finally reach him and ram the front of his car into the side of his truck.

"Daddy!"

"Hold on baby girl!" Matt stated loudly as he tried to calm his daughter and Louie while at the same time reminding them they needed to stay strapped in to be safe.

"Okay turn…left…" Gabby tried to direct as she also relayed Antonio their ever changing location and he tried to do the same in return.

"Can't!"

"How about…" she started only to have another bullet pierce Matt's window and shatter hers on the way out, spraying glass in all directions.

"Gabby!"

"I'm okay! Antonio says they're close!" She informed him as she continued to hunch over in the front passenger seat. The dark sedan suddenly rammed the front of the truck which caused all inside to instantly jerk to the right and forced Matt to try to compensate and keep the truck upright.

They finally heard the sirens closing in and knew it wouldn't be that long but Vince Regent, the man in the driver's seat, the one CPD pegged as the one who killed Mary when he couldn't find the drugs that Luke 'Brooster' Brice said he left there – which in reality he didn't as he didn't trust Mary or those she associated with. But to Vince, Matt was the one that he felt ripped him off of thousands and that was worth the risk he now took.

Vince shot at them a few more times all the while he ignored the warning from his passenger that told him CPD was seconds away and it was all over. But he didn't care…he was so blinded by his greed that he just kept firing.

CPD closed in and a few other shots were fired. Jeremy, Vince's accomplice in the front seat tried to push the door open and get out of the moving car but Vince yelled at him to fire back. Plus with Matt's truck in the way, it would have been impossible for him to jump out and not be run over.

"Barricade the street!" Voight demanded as two of the incoming SUVs suddenly stopped and then blocked the road so the incoming vehicles would have nowhere to go.

"STOP THE CAR!" Jeremy shouted as Vince fired at him which instantly forced Jeremy's frame to slump forward. But his actions allowed Matt's truck to veer to the right and CPD to gain ground.

"Matt! Look out!" Gabby shouted as Matt tried to counter to the left as Vince rammed his side of the truck which forced Matt's lips to utter an angry grunt as his side started to throb.

"Shoot the tires!" Voight directed as his team started to near the speeding vehicles.

"Antonio says slam on the breaks!"

He didn't stop to question his brother in law's order; instead he just acted. He slammed on the brakes and let Vince's car fly past which was stopped by CPD a few seconds later. Instead of putting down his guns and surrendering peacefully, Vince got out of the car and fired at Matt's truck.

"DOWN!" Matt shouted as bullets whizzed past before a few other gunshots rang out followed by eerie silence. A few seconds later the ringing in his ears stopped and Matt lifted his head and looked around and watched in slow motion as various members of the CPD squad exited their cars and rushed toward Vince Regent's now smoking car as they shouted at the passenger Jeremy to come out – if he was able. He'd be carried out…in a body bag.

"Gabby! Matt!" Antonio called out as he rushed up to Matt's shattered window and looked into the truck as Matt looked back in relief. "You guys okay?"

"We are now."

"Matt's been shot!"

"It's nothing," he insisted as he looked at Gabby in concern and then into the back seat where his daughter's tear-stained face popped up in wonder. "It's all over now."

"Are you okay daddy? What happened?"

"It's over now sweetie. Everyone is fine," he told her as Louie reached his arms out for Gabby.

"We need to get them out of here," she told Matt with a small huff.

"Well…we wanted to buy a new family vehicle," he stated with a small smirk as he slowly pushed himself out of his dented truck and then started to visually survey the damage and then plucked his trembling daughter from the back seat and held her close. "Are you hurt?"

"No," she answered in truth as she looked at him sadly. "Louie was scared."

"I know. He'll be fine," he told her as he watched Gabby hear with Louie tucked in her grasp; his head buried in her shoulder.

"Let's get to med and then home."

"You guys okay?" Erin asked as she rushed up to them in a panic.

"Yeah…but we need a ride to med," Gabby told her in concern.

"Okay, come with me. The guys can wrap the rest of this up."

"Who…was that?" Matt inquired as they walked toward one of the SUV's.

"Vince Regent. We think he was trying to take over Luke Brice, aka 'Brooster's, territory and thought Mary had drugs that Brooster had left for a drop. We got intel this morning from a CI that he didn't and that Mary had another dealer on the go. Those drugs she either used or sold or never got but Vince thought she had them and came to get them. We figured they argued and then he killed her and was interrupted by something that caught on fire and never had time to look. When Matt went back for the blanket he thought that he took the drugs because the CI said Vince was tipped off to where they might be in the apartment."

"So there were actually drugs there?"

"Not sure but the CI said that it could also have been Brooster trying to draw Vince out or get him to do something stupid…like he did today and remove his competition – legally."

"No honor among thieves," Gabby retorted dryly. "Just glad it's over…it is over right?"

"It is now. The CI assured us that Brooster knows Matt had nothing to do with the drugs and didn't know, much like the AI team and that was it. He's not interested in the blanket you took."

"Thank goodness for that," Matt huffed as he helped his daughter into the backseat and then took the small booster seat for Louie.

"Can we go home daddy?"

"Soon sweetie," he told her in truth as Gabby climbed into the front and they pulled away from the scene.

"What a mess," she whispered as she glanced back at Matt and then at his wounded arm.

"It's nothing," he tried to assure her with a small smile. They didn't talk anything more about the case until they got to Med and once there Matt was taken into one of the little rooms by April to attend to his arm while Gabby waited in the waiting room with Caitlin and Louie and Erin; who called Kelly and then Shay.

"What the h…" Shay started as she entered the waiting area about 20 minutes later and rushed up to them and gave Gabby a hug. "Seriously you guys just can't stay away from trouble can you!"

"Guess not," she replied with a small frown as George plunked himself down onto the bench beside Caitlin and Louie; Erin a few feet away. "Matt's arm got grazed but he's fine. Kids are shaken up…truck's a write-off."

"Always something."

"Yeah."

Gabby left Shay and Erin with the kids and pulled away to go and check on Matt to see how he was doing.

"You guys buy shares in Chicago Med or something?" April inquired cheekily when Gabby entered the small room and couldn't help but smile.

"Told her we missed coming here…it's been what…two, three…days?" Matt chuckled in reply.

"You guys need more hobbies," April smiled as she finished his arm and then told him he was okay to go.

"I'm okay so…hey come here," Matt entreated as Gabby pasted on a tight lipped smile and neared him. "I'm okay."

"Matt…"

"This wasn't my fault."

"Doesn't make it better," she groaned as his arms wrapped around her and his head rested on her chest as she stood in his embrace by the little examining table while he sat on it. He felt her body tremble but it was the warmth from his nearness that made her stop shaking. "Kids are scared but okay," she whispered as her cheek rested atop his head.

"At least we won't have to worry about them anymore," Matt reminded her as he looked up with a small frown. "Now…we can just concentrate on being a family and raising our children."

Her eyes gently misted at his tender words and her smile instantly grew as she leaned in and kissed him on the mouth. "I love you so much."

"Love you just as much back," he whispered in truth as he slowly stood up; biting back a wince. "Come on…let's go home."

* * *

 **A/N:** Anddd…..everyone can exhale hehe hope everyone liked the action-packed takedown and now it's time for our family to heal. Please do review before you go and thanks so much!


	12. Family Time!

**Title: Family Ties  
 **Chapter 12 – Family Time!****

* * *

"Matthew! Gabriela!" Nancy called out in a panic as she rushed down the walk toward her family and then gathered up her beloved granddaughter in her grasp. "Caitlin! Are you okay? Are you all okay?"

"Yeah Gramma, daddy outran the badguys," she stated as she wrapped her arms around the older woman's neck and held on tightly.

"Well come in…I ordered supper already."

Matt draped his arm around his wife's shoulders as she held Louie in her grasp as they slowly headed into the house and shut the door behind them. "How's our boy doing?"

"He's…" Gabby replied as Louie's head pulled back from her shoulder and looked at Casey with a small frown. "He'll be okay. We'll just relax tonight and play some…fun movies?"

"Yeah think we could all use that. Fast and Furious right?" Matt snickered as Gabby threw him a dry glance. "So…Frozen?"

"We watched that last night…was thinking maybe something more…tame."

"Franklin?" Matt retorted weakly as Gabby couldn't help but smile. Matt had told his mother on the way in that he'd give her all the details and to keep the talk around the dinner table about school, or the park or anything but the fact that someone shot at them and tried to kill them.

"Mmm this is good gramma."

"I'm glad you like it sweetie. And do you like it Louie?" Nancy asked as the little boy looked up, paused in his eating and nodded. "Good," she smiled as she touched his soft cheek and then looked at her son and daughter-in-law.

"I gotta learn to cook Greek like this."

And then the conversation turned to food, a few other benign topics and then the kids were ushered into the living room while the three adults cleaned up the kitchen.

"Yeah they're fine. I'm going to leave the hall light on tonight just in case," Matt told them in an undertone. "So if they need to come and see us they can."

"I just can't believe this," Nancy whispered in misery. "Are you sure it's over?"

"It's over," Gabby replied firmly. "CPD assured us the two guys that died at the scene, the ones that uh…shot at us were the only threat. The other guy was after them not us."

"Now we can just concentrate on our family," Matt stated warmly as Nancy's smile instantly broadened. "Come on…let's go watch some of the movie."

The three adults headed into the living room where Matt headed for Louie and scooped him up into his grasp. "Hey big guy…wanna watch some Franklin?"

"Daddy."

Matt looked at Gabby who looked back at him in shock and both smiles; Matt's a bit wider. "Did he just…"

"He did…daddy," Gabby smiled as Matt looked at her with a warm smile and then at this daughter.

"So can we keep him now?" Caitlin asked innocently which made all three adults laugh. "You're his daddy."

"My boy," Matt whispered as he held Louie close; Louie's little lips offering him a small kiss on his cheek which of course melted his heart. "This is your home now Louie. You'll be staying with us now."

Gabby's hand reached out and grasped her husband's and gave it a warm squeeze before she leaned in and patted him on the back while Caitlin rested on her lap. Nany pulled her phone and took a picture of the four of them – her family and then watched them all with a cherished smile and warm heart.

"Yes, he's going to live with us now," Matt told his daughter as she hugged him around the neck and then looked at Louie with a smile.

"You're going to live with us now Louie," she repeated what her father said as the young boy looked up with a small frown.

"He'll figure it out," Gabby whispered as she looked at Matt in adoration. "Agent Kantrell is going to be thrilled."

"Just doing the right thing," Matt assured her as he looked up at his mother who nodded and smiled. "Just now need to make a few things official."

"I'll get started on those tomorrow. Might as well put the day off to good use."

"Okay so who wants to watch a movie?"

"ME!" Caitlin shouted as she ran to the movie stand and grabbed one of the Disney princess movies and brought it back to her father. "Can we watch this one?"

"Ask Louie."

"Louie can I watch this movie?" Caitlin asked with a grin as Louie kinda shrugged, making them all laugh. "See daddy, he wants to."

"I'll put it in."

"Come on gramma…hurry up," Caitlin insisted as Matt and Gabby could only laugh and reposition themselves on the couch to watch the movie. Matt made sure his injured arm was free as Gabby nestled in beside him with a small spot for Caitlin in the middle and Louie on Gabby's lap. Nancy eased herself down beside Gabby and then the movie started up. It was the perfect way for them to help the children unwind and try to forget the horrors of what happened earlier in the day. Matt had told both children that they were mistaken for someone else and that it was an isolated incident and wouldn't happen again. It helped to ease some of the pain but as Gabby told Matt…she'd be the one with the biggest nightmares after that.

 _'I've waited for someone like you all my life…I just don't want to lose you now,' she told Matt earnestly. 'Any of you. I love you all.'_

 _'Trust me you won't. I've waited all my life for this happy family and I'm not going to let it go without a fight.'_

As soon as the movie was over they said goodnight to Nancy and then Matt carried Louie to bed while Gabby helped Caitlin change for bed and then climb inside.

"We'll leave the light on in the hallway okay?" She asked with a soft whisper as she knelt beside Caitlin's bed.

"Okay."

"You were very brave today," she added as she leaned in and kissed her forehead. "I love you very much."

"I love you too," Caitlin replied sweetly as she gave Gabby a hug and kissed her cheek.

"If you hear Louie and he sounds scared you can come sleep with us okay?"

"Okay."

"Okay…goodnight love bug."

Gabby turned off the little light and then wandered into their bedroom and slumped down onto their bed and looked at her husband while he changed into something to sleep into. "Was too close today."

"It was," he agreed as he headed back toward her and slumped down beside her, her head instantly resting on his bare shoulder. "It's over now. Now we just need to concentrate on happier times."

"And the wedding."

"Right…the wedding," Matt snickered as Gabby looked at him with a dry smile. "The _surprise_ wedding."

"What time again?"

XXXXXXXX

"Hey man…" Kelly greeted Matt the next morning as Matt entered Firehouse 51 with Louie in his grasp. "Hey big guy!"

"Louie!" Cruz smiled as he and Otis neared Matt and Kelly and after he agreed, Cruz took Louie to show him the inside of Truck 3.

"Erin said what happened. What the hell…is it over now?"

"All over now," Matt replied in truth as they both watched Cruz and Otis ham it up with Louie inside the cabin of Truck 3. "Gabby is heading to DCFS right now to get the adoption papers for Louie."

"Really? And everyone's on board with it?"

"Mom said yes and Caitlin agreed so yeah…it's official," Matt smiled widely as Kelly gave him a brotherly hug and grinned. "Speaking of official…"

"Yeah okay so Shay overheard us and…and the surprise is off," Kelly gently groaned as Matt laughed.

"The sooner you do it the better."

"Erin says that too," Kelly laughed. "She's taking the day with Shay to set up a few things at Molly's."

"Yeah, Gabby's going to stop by afterward and help with a few things," Matt told his friend as Boden neared them. "Chief."

"How's the arm?" Boden inquired as Matt shrugged. "Course," Boden smiled. "How are the kids?"

"They were in better sprits today. Mom is going to pick up Caitlin and bring her and George to Molly's and Louie…he's hanging with two other big kids," he chuckle as the three of them looked into the front of Truck 3 where Cruz and Otis were making goofy faces.

"Glad it's all over now."

"Us too," Matt nodded as the overhead paging system went off and it was time for the fun to end. Matt quickly collected Louie from Cruz and Otis and pulled him back as they watched the rest of Firehouse 61 scramble to get ready. Louie gave the large trucks a wave and then looked at Matt with an adoring smile.

"Come on…let's go find Ga…mommy," Matt told Louie as Louie looked at him and nodded. He had told Caitlin that she could call Gabby mom if she wanted but with Louie being so young and now calling him daddy it would only make sense that he call Gabby mom. Of course in that moment he didn't know that it wouldn't be too much longer before Caitlin wanted to call Gabby mom.

XXXXXXXX

"I'm so happy to hear this Mrs. Casey," Agent Kantrell smiled as she shook Gabby's hand after Gabby had handed her back the signed paperwork.

"We both love him so much and want to give him a good home," she paused and added a strained smile. "Just wish we could help more but we can't."

"Trust me…this is more than you know. Thank you and good luck," Agent Kantrell smiled as she gave Gabby a warm hug.

Gabby took the official paperwork and headed back outside with a big smile; her heart rate beating a bit faster. She looked down at the paperwork in the grasp that granted her and Matt legal parental rights for Louie and then she looked at the one beneath it.

"One more stop," she whispered as she pulled her phone and then looked at the address before she got into her car and pulled away.

Two hours later she walked into Molly's and up to her husband and gave him a warm kiss on the lips as Louie gave her a hug.

"What do you say Louie?"

"Mommy," Louie replied what Matt whispered in his ear.

"It's a work in progress," Matt smiled as Gabby's eyes instantly glistened.

"Okay seriously if you two want to get a room get one! Leave the kid here because that would just warp him," Shay huffed as Erin looked at her and just shook her head. "What? We have to finishing decorating for your surprise wedding tomorrow! And you two…wedding reception right? So now what…"

Matt and Gabby could only trade amused smiles as they both started to help with the rest of the modest decorations. Nancy arrived about an hour later with Caitlin and George and Kelly arrived a few hours after that and once Fiona was done her shift from Med, she too joined them and that night they all hung together like one big happy family; proving to everyone around them that family time was the best time there is.

* * *

 **A/N:** So had to get our family back on the right path and some happy family time after all the grief they have been put through. one more chappy to go so please do let me know how you liked this and thanks so much!


	13. Starting A Brand new Chapter

**Title: Family Ties  
 **Chapter 13 – Starting A Brand new Chapter****

* * *

"You have been quiet all night," Matt mentioned to his wife as he stood near her in the kitchen later that night; both children already asleep from the busy day they had enjoyed.

"So…I was hoping to get this sooner rather than later but…" she paused as she pulled out an envelope and then showed it to him and instantly his grin widened.

"Is that…"

"I asked them to put a rush on it if possible and…Boden helped pull a few strings," Gabby smiled as Matt opened the envelope and pulled out the official adoption document and felt his heart catch in his throat. His eyes slightly watered with happiness as he looked at her with tender pride.

"There is no one…and I mean no one I'd rather have adopt her than you," he whispered as he leaned in closer, kissed her on the lips and then held her close while her arms wrapped around him and the two of them held onto each other for what seemed like a heated eternity.

"I almost can't believe it," she confessed softly as she looked at the form in his and then back up at his delighted expression. "I want her to read it okay? You know the non-technical part."

"Think that'd be a great idea."

"Think she'll like it?"

"I know she'll love it. When did you want to do it?" Matt inquired.

"I know Erin has already put through the adoption paperwork but I don't want to do it at the reception at Molly's just in case. I know part of it is for us too but…but maybe before? Here at home?"

"Whenever you want to will be fine," Matt assured her as her grin widened once more. "You know…we should celebrate," he added with a playful eye wag.

"You were shot at!" She reminded him with a small huff as he looked at her in indifference.

"A graze to the arm. I'll just hold them above my head," he snickered as she just shook her head. "It was a few days ago?"

But a few seconds later he scooped her up into his grasp and carried her into the bedroom where he playfully deposited her onto the bed and then lunged at her a few seconds later.

XXXXXXXX

"Well this is it…"

"This is what?" Matt asked the next morning as they all got ready to get their day started.

"First day where we…start our normal family routine. We head to work, your mom picks up Louie and Caitlin, takes Caitlin to school and looks after Louie and then we come home and spend time with our family."

"Normal," Matt smiled and nodded as they heard a knock at the door.

"Gramma!" Caitlin shouted as she rushed to open the door for her grandmother and then gave the older woman a hug when she entered. "Come see what we made Gramma."

"Okay. Morning you two," Nancy greeted with a proud smile as she neared the table. "Morning Louie."

"Mooring…" he tried and was received with happy smiles and a kiss to the top of his head.

"He'll get it," Nancy winked as she headed into the living room to see what Caitlin wanted to show her. They all talked a bit before it was time to get out the door and all head in separate directions.

"You know I don't think I'll mind driving a family car from now on," Matt mentioned as he and Gabby rode in the rental car they had leased for a few weeks. "Thought I would like it but you know…it's kinda roomy."

"And affordable."

"Good. You know the cost of tuition these days?"

"We better start now," Gabby offered offhandedly as they neared Firehouse 51. He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze before he stopped the car and they both got out. "See you later."

"Hey! You two take a side detour?"

"You heading off?" Gabby asked Shay as she neared.

"Nope! You're stuck with me today sista!" Shay grinned as she threw her arm around Gabby's shoulders. "Brett swapped. Something about something at one of Antonio's kids schools and oh wait…"

"Antonio?"

"Right so uh…" Shay stammered as Gabby just laughed. "Damn you had me going. You knew about them right?"

"Doesn't everyone?" Gabby countered as Matt just looked at them in amusement. "The two of us on ambo today?"

"Look out Chicago!"

"Hey man welcome back!" Kelly greeted Matt as he entered the main firehouse doors; Gabby and Shay hanging back to talk about the wedding festivities in a few days' time.

"Good to be back. Mom took Caitlin to school and then has Louie and after this weekend we'll be car shopping and then doing some house reno's…."

"Damn man you sound like an old married couple," Kelly teased as Matt gave him a playful punch to the arm. "Happy for you."

"Just wait…soon we'll be doing the who's having dinner at whose place tonight as all old married couples do."

"Yeah…Erin said that too," Kelly mock frowned before he chuckled. "Kinda looking forward to it."

"Yeah…me too."

But happy reunion was short lived as a few seconds later the overhead paging system went off and it was all hands on deck. This time, instead of being forced to wait behind like he had to last time, Matt felt that surge of adrenaline start to pulse through his veins as he too joined the melee and rushed toward his waiting gear. As he kicked off his boots and climbed into the front of Truck 81 he caught Gabby's eye and couldn't help but give her a small smile, one that she rewarded him with in return, before it was time to light up the sirens and head toward their latest call.

It did feel good to be back – for all of them.

XXXXXXXX

They had talked about it and Gabby told Matt that she wanted to give the official paper to Caitlin before the wedding as she just couldn't wait any longer. They would tell Louie at the same time but his level of comprehension was a few years behind Caitlin's so they'd wait again until he was better able to understand and then tell him exactly what happened.

So when Matt, Nancy and Louie had all finished getting ready to head out to city hall for the impromptu wedding for Erin and Kelly, Gabby pulled out a small box and gave it to Caitlin with a warm smile.

"I bought you a present Caitlin, wanna open it?"

"Okay."

Caitlin quickly tore open the bright wrapping paper and looked inside at the little box and then carefully opened it. "Ohhh pretty. Look a heart necklace."

"Want to read what it says?"

"It says my daughter holds my heart," Caitlin replied as she looked up with a smile, not quite yet getting what was really going on.

"It does and this part you'll wear and this part…I'll wear," Gabby started and then paused as her voice broke with happy emotion; Matt's eyes instantly welling. "So that you'll always know…that you have my heart," she managed with a small sniff and swallow. "Now I have something else for you…this is your…birth certificate. But it has…something on the back…" she stated as she flipped over the large certificate and pointed to a little passage that she had printed out and pasted onto the back. "You can…read it out loud," she gently prodded as her heart rate started to soar.

"It is in the best interest of Caitlin that she should be adopted by her step-mother, Gabby Casey. Gabby's pet…"

"Petition," Matt smiled as his daughter reread the word and continued.

"Petition for adoption has been granted."

She stopped and then looked at Gabby who looked back with happy tears and smiled. "Do you know what that means?"

"Yes," Caitlin smiled as she launched herself into Gabby's grasp and clung to her tightly.

"I love you so much love bug."

"I love you too…mom."

Even Matt hadn't expected that, although he had talked about it with his daughter in private and had listened to her wish to want to start calling Gabby mom he didn't know when she would. To hear her offer it so heartfeltly and spontaneously made his eyes instantly well and his heart explode with happiness. He knelt down beside his two girls and hugged them tightly. This was now a new day for all of them.

"My family," Nancy whispered as she finished recording the happy moment.

"Come on…let's go celebrate."

XXXXXXXX

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

"YAY!" Caitlin shouted and then elbowed George which made everyone laugh. He instantly put up his hands and cheered which once again made everyone laugh, especially the two that had just gotten married. Kelly hoisted his son into the air between him and Erin and both kissed him on the cheeks at the same time which made his face crunch and everyone else around them laugh.

"Finally!" Matt teased Kelly as he slapped his friend on the back while Gabby and Shay both gave Erin a warm sisterly hug.

"Shay's next!" Kelly teased as he nodded toward her and Fiona as Shay just shot him back a narrowed glance and then smiled. But he didn't care and just laughed once more.

"Alright…the party continues at Molly's!" Herrmann declared as more cheering and laughter followed. The happy groups from Firehouse 51 and Precinct 21 all filed out of the courthouse and slowly made their way toward the already decorated establishment and prepared to party as long as they could handle it.

"We have a lot of great friends and family," Matt mentioned to Gabby as he neared her near the entrance to Molly's about an hour later.

"We really do," she agreed as his arms wrapped around her and pulled her back against him.

"Mmm you smell good…look good," he whispered as his warm lips nuzzled her ear which made her instantly shiver. "Time to leave yet?" He laughed as she looked up at him with a daring smile and glanced down in adoration. They both heard some laughter and looked over to see a group of kids in the back that included Caitlin, George, Naomi, Antonio's and the Herrmann clan with Louie right in the middle and laughed along with them. Everyone they cared about was there celebrating with them and with their closest friends.

"I'm so happy that we adopted Louie. He's going to have a great life now."

"He certainly will," Gabby agreed softly as she looked at the young boy as he smiled at something Caitlin was doing and felt her heart swell. A few seconds later Shay scooped up Louie and headed toward them with a big smile. "Should we be afraid?" Gabby teased Shay.

"Always," Shay drawled. "So we came to ask mommy something. Can Louie…" Shay started only to be interrupted by Louie saying the one word Gabby longed to hear from him.

"Momma," he uttered softly but it instantly stopped the three adults from talking and her eyes instantly welled. Matt's hand on her back tightened its grasp of affection as Gabby looked at Louie and then kissed him on both cheeks and smiled.

"Mommy loves you so much sweet boy," she told him as he offered her a sweet smile. She looked at Shay in wonder. "Whatever you want…yes is the answer."

"Off to Vegas!" Shay laughed.

"What?"

"Kidding! Off to get some dessert from Herrmann!" Shay declared as she turned and marched over to the counter as both Matt and Gabby watched in amazement.

"That was…" Matt started.

"Amazing," Gabby whispered as she looked at them with a happy expression.

"What a wonderful gift," Matt told her warmly as she nodded in agreement.

"You know…I never got you a wedding present. Any requests?" She asked a few seconds later.

"That dress off…now?" He snickered as her cheeks flushed. "Okay serious…well…" he paused as he watched his mother pick up Louie and carry him toward a table with a few other adults and then started to give him something to eat. He thought when he moved from St. Louis that he'd never find true love or happiness and not just for him but also for his beloved daughter. In the end he found more than he ever thought possible, true love, a new best friend and a whole company of people he'll forever call family. There was only one thing missing.

As she waited for Matt's answer, Gabby too looked around at all the smiling and happy faces before her and felt her happiness surge. She never thought she'd find such happiness and true love but now she couldn't imagine her life without Matt, Caitlin, Nancy or Louie. They were hers now to treasure and cherish and she would for as long as possible.

"There is one thing I'd like…that I think we'd both like…" Matt whispered as he held her tightly and she now looked up at him with a loving smile.

"What's that?"

"A child of our own?" He mentioned with some hesitation. But upon seeing the instant smile of happiness he knew it was what they both wanted.

"Shall we get started tonight?" She whispered as he leaned in closer.

"Yes," he answered affirmatively as he sealed the happy occasion with the first of many loving kisses.

 **THE END!**

* * *

 **A/N** : well hope you all liked my first #dawsey adventure and yes had to get a few sappy moments in there (and if you got a bit misty then you are in good company! Hehe) so yes they are now a happy family and if you all liked it please do review before you go (b/c that'll also tell me if you want future stories) and thanks so much!


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